« 


D-40 
'C886§ 


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0'^ 


Presented 

3.Z.7. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J.                          ^ 

byinovse 

Division  ... 
Section  

sec 

^^W-  -'^.j>x 


"Of  FRI^ 

'''  '\ 
^  '       MAR  27 1914 

J3EFENCK  \%,,,,,,,#>: 


OF    THE 

PASTORAL  LETTER, 

OF    THE 

PRESBYTERY  OF  BALTIMORE; 

IN    REPLY    TO    THE 

''  VIJ^'DICATORS  OF  S2\  MAJRTs  COLLEGE^  t?'c/' 

WITH    AN 

APFENJDIX. 

Containing^ 

REASONS  FOU  RECANTATION  FROM  THE  ERRORS 
OF    THE 

CHURCH  OF  .ROME  ? 

BY  MR.  J4MMS  CROWLEY, 

Formerly    a  Student  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Col- 
lege OF  Maynqotk,  ne.\r  Dublin — as  lately 
published. 


**  I  am  set  tor  the  Defence  of  the  Gospel." 

Phil.  1,  17th. 
"  He  that  is  first,  in  his  oivn  cause,  seemeth  Just 
"  But  his  neighbaur  cometh  and  searcheih  him." 
Prov.  xviii.  17th. 


BALTIMORE: 

PRINTED  BY  WARNER  AND  HANNA, 


18U. 


TO 

THE  RESPECTED 

MEMORY 

OF  THAT  DEPARTED 


01?    THE 

BALTIMORE  PRESBYTERY, 

>VHO  THROUGH  A   LONG  AND  USEFUi;, 

MINISTRY, 
WAS  THE  ABLE 

CHAMPION  OF  TRUTH, 

AND  THE  ZEALOUS  ADVOCATE 

OF   CIVIL  AND   RELIGIOUS  LIBERTY, 

AGAIJ^ST  ALL  EMCROACUMEKT^ 

WHETHER  OPEN  OR  INSIDIOUS  ; 

THE  FOLLOWING  PAGES  ARE, 

WITH  EVERY  SENTIMENT  OF  THE  HIGHEST, 

AND  MOST  LASTING  VENERATION, 

INSCRIBED  BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  temporal  as  well  as  eternal  interests  of  the  WorlJ,  are  in- 
volved in  the  free  and  sincere  investigation  of  all  truth.  To 
this  investigation,  when  fairly  and  dispassionately  pursued,  none 
can  be  opposed,  in  whose  bosoms  predominates  a  principle  of  Be- 
nevolence to  the  hunnan  race.  Whatever  Is  published  to  the 
world  as  Truth,  and  more  especially  when  represented  to  be 
sanctioned  by  the  God  of  Truth,  should  by  all  possessed  of  reason, 
understanding  and  conscience,  be  freely  examined. 

It  is,  therefore,  among  those  only,  who  possess  *  zeal  without 
knowledge,*  that  any  thing  like  rancour  or  enmity,  can  arise  or 
exist,  on  account  of  the  proper  exercise  of  this  right ;  and,  more 
especially,  when  employed  in  religious  discussion. 

Every  theory  in  which,  even  the  temporal  interests  of  man  are 
involved,  it  is  considered  as  meritorious  to  analyse  with  the  most 
unreserved  scrutiny.  Why  then  should  a  sincere  examination  of 
that  which  so  nearly  concerns  his  eternal  Destiny,  be  more  res- 
tricted, or  given  over,  as  it  too  often  is,  to  implicit  faith  in,  and 
*  passive  obedience'  to,  mere  man  ?  Neither  reason,  nor  revelation 
inculcates  a  dogma  so  absurd,  and  so  inconsistent  with  those  men- 
tal endowments,  bestowed  upon  us  by  the  divine  author  of  our 
being. 

The  genuine  characteristic  of  that  religious  worship  which 
CHRIST  taught  the  world  is,  that  it  is  pure  and  spiritual.  Pure, 
with  respect  to  its  exemption  from  the  pride  and  impiety  of  the 
unrenewed  heart— And  Spiritual,  as  to  its  freedom  from  the  pre- 
judices, passions,  and  interests  of  a  sensual  world.    <*  God  is  a 


spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and 
in  truth."  * 

In  proportion,  therefore,  as  any  system  of  Christianity  is  thus 
characterised,  so  must  it  be  more  or  less  divine ;  and  formed,  or 
otherwise,  upon  his  doctrines  and  example,  who  was  "  The  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life/* 

All  the  religious  principles  which  the  divine  author  of  Christia- 
nity taught  the  world,  confirm  the  correctness  of  this  view  of  that 
pure  and  spiritual  worship  which  he  introduced ;  in  preference  to 
that  which  for  a  time  and  for  special  purposes,  had  been  indulged 
with  a  system  of  external  ceremony  and  expensive  splendor. 

Hence,  it  is  evident  that  those  Doctrines,  and  also  those  forms 
of  Christian  worship,  which  lead  the  heart,  or  in  other  words,  the 
faculties  of  the  human  soul,  to  attend  to  external  forms  and  os- 
tentatious ceremonies,  or  to  a  gaudy  and  vain  gratification  of  the 
senses,  can  constitute  no  portion  of  that  pure  and  divine  spirit  of 
worship  authorised,  and  recommended  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

It  is  true,  that  through  the  medium  of  the  senses,  the  heart 
must  be  more  or  less  affected,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  sub- 
ject ;  and  it  is  also  by  means  of  these  senses,  that  God  condescends 
to  operate  on  the  hearts  of  men.  *•  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God.'*  But,  of  this  we  may  be  certain,  that 
wherever  forms  and  observances,  (f  vihich  Christ  hath  made  no 
mention  ,• — or  outward  pomp  and  show,  whether  adapted  to  the 
eye,  or  to  the  ear,  tend  to  direct  the  mind  to  these,  more  than 
these  direct  the  heart  to  spiritual  purity  and  simplicity,  they  are 
of  mere  human  invention,  unauthorised  by  Christ;  are  •*  meanr 
not  appointed  in  his 'us-ard  ;^*  and  are  therefore,  presumptuously, 
in  opposition  to  his  own  holy  and  divine  example. 

*  John  IV,  24. 


In  the  subsequent  pages,  should  their  tenour  op  spirit  on  tliis 
view  of  the  subject,  be  supposed  to  be  •wholly  directed  against  the 
traditionary  worship  of  the  Ronnish  Church,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  prevent,  or  rectify  such  an  apprehension.*  The  writer,  indeed, 
believes  that  the  Church  of  Rome,  owing  to  that  city  being  for 
so  nnany  centuries,  the  imperial  seat  of  grandeur,  and  power  over 
the  European  world,  has  been  the  great  source,  from  whence, 
all  the  corruptions  in  Christianity,  especially  with  respect  to  ex- 
ternal forms  of  worship  and  Church  Government,  have  so  pro- 
fusely proceeded.  But  he  is  far  from  supposing  that  the  Romish 
Church,  alone,  contains  corruption,  or  its  prolific  aliment,  in  these 
respects. 

If  the  most  prevalent  and  commanding  principle,  in  the  policy 
of  that  church,  as  tending  to  corruption,  be  the  union  of  spiritual 
and  temporal  power  and  prerogative  ;  and  the  union  also,  of  tra- 
ditionary with  revealed  Doctrine,  moit  of  those  Churches  pro- 
fessing Protestanism,  it  is  allowed,  have  yet  considerable  refor- 
mation to  undergo  in  some  respects. 

In  these  States,  indeed,  the  Revolution  afforded  the  Pro- 
testant Churches  a  glorious  opportunity  of  throwing  off  the  cor- 
ruptions of  the  old  world;  and  of  rescinding  every  vestige  of  that 
Romish  Hierarchy  and  tyranny,  which  had  &o  long  overwhelmed 
the  whole  Christian  world. 

But  alas  !  How  have  they  availed  themselves  of  that  Providen- 
tial field  for  Reformation  ?  An  Ecclesiastical  head  could  merit  no 
mitre,  nor  Hierarchical  rank,  even  by  empty  title,  without  re- 
ceiving, at  least  in  the  first  instance,  the  sacred  effluvia  from  the 

•  The  Revd.  Mr.  Mc.  Culloch  observes,  that  "  when  the  *  BEAST'  pushes  with 
both  head  and  horns,  all  should  lay  aside  their  little  shades  of  difference  in  opinion, 
and  unite  in  their  opinasition."  But  the  writer  of  this  Defence  is  under  the  impres- 
sion, that  in  all  our  enquiries  after  truth,  as  well  as  in  our  controversies  in  its  Dc 
fence,  we  should  have  regard  "to  the  beam  (if  any)  in  our  own  eye,  as  well  as  to 
that  wiiich  mars  the  vision  of  others." 


finger  ends  of  an  Archbishop  of  Canterbury !  Besides,  we  find 
that  the  same  hankerinj^  after  rank  and  distinction  ;  after  ametro- 
politan  and  monarchial  spirit  in  the  Church,  is  still  cherisfeed  ; 
while  in  religious  forms,  ceremonies  and  costumes,  vestries  and 
vestments,  the  sublimely  simple  garb  and  demeanor  of  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  when  on  earth,  would  be  rejected,  by  many,  even 
in  these  States  / 

**  Laying  aside  all  partiality,*'  would  to  God  that  even  Presby- 
terlanism  itself,  were  totally  divested  of  this  papal  spirit  for  exter- 
nal pomp  and  show.  In  the  Apostolic  age  of  Christian  worship, 
nothing  would  have  been  admitted  into  the  spiritual  service  of  the 
churches,  but  that  which  was  pqurdly  well  adapted  to  the  circum- 
stances and  situation  of  all  believers ;  whether  rich  or  poor  ;  high 
or  low  ;  whether  honoured  or  despised  in  the  eye  of  the  world. 
This  was  that  principle  by  which  Christ  taught  that  his  Gospel 
was  to  he  peculi.'.rly  Recognised  throughout  the  world;  andtothe 
end  of  time.  Tbis  was  the  proof,  the  Sacred  Test,  which  he  gave 
of  i' s  spiritual  sublimity  and  divine  origin  ;  from  which  I  fear  that 
even  the  purestof  the  Protestant  Churches  a:  e  prone  to  swerve.* 

If  the  truly  sablime  in  the  works  of  nature  and  of  art,  hath,  in 
every  age,  attracted  the  admiration  of  t.iste  and  genius  ;  why, 
or  how  is  it,  that  the  divinely  simple  and  spirittcally  sublime  doc- 
trines and  example  of  Chiist,  in  the  secret  and  in  the  social  ser- 
vice of  God,  have  not  been  equally  interesting  and  admired  ?  In 
all  that  concerns  tliis  pure  and  heavenly  worship  hath  Christ  left 
us  an  example,  or  hath  he  not  ?  Were  wealth  and  pomp,  theim- 

*  I  venerate  the  act  of  a  late  European  Arch-Bishop,  who,  in  the  memory  and 
observance  of  the  writer,  on  first  entering  the  Choir  of  the  Cathedral  at  his  Metro- 
politan See  ;  and  dispjustecl  with  the  external  pomp  of  its  appearance— the  Pulpit, 
Reading-Desk,  Organs,  and  even  Pews  of  which,  had  been  overlaid  with  Gold  Leal", 
and  superbly  ornamented  and  burnished— immediately  sent  for  a  Painter;  and  or- 
dered  it  to  be  changed  to  a  more  solemn  colouring,  and  better  suited  to  the  sober* 
raindedaess  of  the  Christian  worshipper. 


perlal  purple  ;  the  Incense  of  Arabia  ;  the  Gold  of  Ophir  ;  or  the 
instrumental  musick  of  the  voluptuary  in  sounds,  recommended, 
or  introduced  by  him,  as  necessary  for  the  pure  and  exalted  Ado- 
ration of  the  most  High  God  ? 

As  the  noblest  examples  of  sublinnity,  entirely  lose  that  charac- 
ter, when  subjected  to  the  gaudy  and  tinseled  trappings  of  arti- 
ficial decoration  ;  so,  in  like  manner,  whenever  we  assay  to  ex- 
hibit Christian  worship  in  any  other  apparel  than  that,  which  its 
spiritual  Lord  exemplified  and  tauglit,  we  unrobe  it  of  its  divine 
and  native  dignity,  and  turn  the  hearts  of  the  worshippers  from 
sense  to  sound,  and  from  spiritual  exercise  to  sensual  gratification. 

Now  this  is  the  very  essence  of  Romish  worship  ;  and  he  who 
sanctio.ns  and  encourages  it,  whether  he  be  called  Bishop  or  Dea- 
con, Primate,  Priest  or  Presbyter,  has  yet  to  be  reformed  from 
a  principle,  of  no  higher  origin  than  Papal  authority. 

No  topic  is  more  hackneyed  than  that  of  Christian  Liberality  op 
Charity — and,  certainly,  there  is  notning  more  laudable  than  the 
genuine  exercise  of  the  spirit  of  that  virtue,  especially  in  a  coun^ 
try  where  all  Christian  Denominations  have  equal  Rights.  But, 
it  \s peculiarly  incumbent  on  those,  who  consider  themselves  to  be 
80  greatly  the  majority  in  the  Christian  world,  to  he propot  tionablj 
characterised  by  this  spirit.  It  is  natural,  and  most  allowable  that 
'minorities  be  jealous  of  the  encroachment  of  great  and  overwhelm- 
ing majorities.  These  seldom  fail  **  to  feel  Poioer  and  forget 
£ight."  But  this  jealousy  is  still  more  justifiable,  when  the  en* 
croacher  seems  to  count  on  exotic,  rather  than  indigenous  majori- 
ties :  on  foreign,  rather  than  on  domestic  Power  and  Influence. 

We  readily  acquit  the  present  venerable  superior  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church  for  these  states,  of  any  aim  at  insidious  encroachment. 
Protestants  of  all  denominations,  in  his  native  slate,  have  long- 


borne  witness  to  his  liberal  and  dignified  deportment  in  the  walks 
of  social  intercourse,  in  every  respect  congenial  with  the  Consti- 
tution, under  which  we  all  participate  in  equal  Rights.  Howev- 
er sincere  or  zealous  in  the  promotion  of  his  own  tenets  and  high 
prerogative,  he  could  never  have  attempted  ;  nor  do  we  now  be- 
lieve that  he  approves  of,  the  little  inroads  and  artifices  of  St.  Domi 
nican  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  It  is  presumed,  that  there  is  much 
more  difference  between  his  spirit,  in  these  respects ;  and  that  of 
the  proselytising  zealots  of  St.  JNIary's  College,  than  that  which 
they  presume  to  say,  existed  among  the  members  of  the  Balti* 
more  Presbytery  respecting  their  insidious  Catechism. 

If,  in  the  course  of  the  following  Defence,  the  writer  hath,  in 
any  instances,  been  led  to  indulge  in  a  style  of  remonstrance,  of..' 
fensiveto  the  extreme  delicacy  of  some  nervous  systems,  he  pre- 
sumes they  must  be  such  as  either  feel  very  little  concern  about 
what  constitutes  religious  truth,  or  error ;  or  those  who  are  too 
callous,  as  well  as  careless,  to  feel  for  the  effects  these  have  oc- 
casioned, and  must  still  continue  to  produce,  for  the  happiness. 
Or  the  misery  of  the  Christian  World. 

Controversies  of  this  nature  can  seldom  be  dressed  up  in  the 
mellifluous  accents  of  harmonious  suavity.  The  finest  specimens 
of  composition,  even  in  alliteration,  are  not  seldom  expressive  of 
the  subject  they  treat,  when  harsh  or  discordant.  The  very 
idea  of  controversy  implies  something  of  this  nature  ;  yet  the  wri- 
ter, is  not  sensible  that,  in  this  respect,  he  has  incurred  more 
cause  for  censure,  than  will  be  found  in  the  polished  pages  of  the 
«  Vindicators  }'  though  of  the  French  or  Italian  school. 

To  such  as  refuse  to  admit  of  this  apology,  I  would  recommend 
the  late  work  of  the  Rsvd.  Mr.  Mc.  CuUoch  of  Poictou,  Nova  Sco- 
tia, on  the  3ame  subject— in  reply  to  the  Bevd.  Edmond  Burke, 


the  present  Catholic  Vicar  general  of  Quebec  ;  and  addressed  to 
Bishop  Inglis. 

In  that  very  able  and  learned  work,  the  sincere  enquirer  after 
Truth,  may  also  see  the  opinions,  in  their  o^n  ivords^  of  all  the 
earliest  Fathers,  on  the  controverted  points  in  the  following  De- 
fence. 

The  writer,  however,  it  may  be  observed,  had  no  access  to 
that  work  until  this  was  finished —so  that,  with  the  exception  of 
two  or  three  of  the  notes,  they  are  in  no  respect,  indebted  to  that 
very  estimable  and  indignant  publication. 

Although  it  appears  to  be  so  much  the  desire  and  the  interest 
of  the  Government  of  Britain,  and  of  that  Province,  to  promote 
religious  harmony  in  that  portion  of  North  America  ;  yet  the  very 
able  and  spirited  defence  of  the  Reformed  Churches,  by  Mr.  Mc. 
CuLLocH,  seems  to  have  procured  him  the  most  respectful  ap- 
probation of  the  Protestant  Bishop  of  that  Diocese.  A  zealous 
and  luminous  Defence,  '^ofthe  Faith,  once  received,"  against 
cither  the  insidious  ;  or  the  wanton  and  open  attacks  of  Papal  in- 
fluence, appears,  therefore,  from  that  publication,  to  be  much 
more  popular  and  acceptable,  even  in  the  dark  atmosphere  of  No- 
va &20tia,  than  it  would  be  in  some  of  the  most  enlightened  parts 
of  these  States  !  Their  Theological  Instructors,  there,  seenn  pos- 
sessed of  more  zeal  and  interest  in  defence  of  the  Truth  of  the 
Gospel— the  Lord  Bishop  and  the  humble  Presbyter  ;  the 
onet  the  superior  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  the  other 
a  minister  of  the  Associate  reformed  Presbytery,  seem  to  be  per- 
fectly congenial  in  their  sentiments  on  the  Reformation  ;  and  also 
of  the  same  mind  as  to  the  inroads  on  its  principles,  recently*  at- 
tempted there,  M  well  as  in  these  States. 


8 

Probably,  they  are  enabled  to  see,  that  as  the  Ecclesial  Despot 
loses  ground  in  Europe  ;  like  his  vassal,  the  Regent  of  Portugal, 
he  begins  to  turn  his  eye,  with  encreased  zeal,  to  America. 

Sensible  that  the  name  of  a  writer,  has,  imth  many,  more  influ« 
ence  than  either  the  Cause  which  he  defends,  or  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  executed  ;  the  author  of  *'  the  Dtfence,''  would  not 
have  entered  the  lists,  had  he  learned  that  any  menaber  of  the 
Baltimore  Presbytery,  of  higher  qualifications,  especially  in  that 
respect,  intended  advocating  their  own  work.  He  is  coescioua 
this  might  have  given  more  eclat  to  the  cause,  been  more  accep- 
table to  the  comnttunity,  and  consequently  more  generally  useful. 

Conscience,  however,  in  the  cause  of  **  Truth  and  Righte- 
ousness," should,  without  apology,  perform  its  own  work,  how» 
ever  humble  it  may  prove  to  be  in  the  estimation  of  the  World. 

Independent  of  all  consideration,  who  may  approve  or  disap- 
prove; who  may  keep  silent,  or  who  speak  out  in  such  a  cause  ; 
if  that  should,  in  any  degree,  be  advocated,  or  promoted  by  the 
subsequent  *'  Defence,'*  all  the  object  of  the  writer  shall  be 
attained — and  if  otherwise,  he  feels  no  desire  to  divide  the  Respon- 
sibility, when  submitted  to  the  Decision  of  an  impartial  Commu* 
nity.  Controversy,  it  is  true,,produces  few  Converts — but  it 
should  not  be  forgotten,  that  from  this  same  Controversy,  arose 
the  Reformation,  and  from  the  Reformation,  all  the  civil 
fts  well  as  Religious  Liberty  we  enjoy  in  these  happy  States,  or 
throughout  the  Christian  World, 


A  DEFENCE,  &c* 


WHEN  the  ancient  Greeks  ifound  it  necessary  to. 
rnake  the  most  of  their  Hero  Achilles,  they  fabulously 
i-epresent^d,  that  his  Ooddess  Mother  had  dipt  hiin  in 
the  Styx  ;  by  which  he  was  rendered  invulnerable.  This 
device  could  not  fail  to  add  to  their  personal  boldness  and 
courage,  while  at  the  satne  time,  it  served  to  intimidate 
their  antagonists. 

Not  very  dissimilar  is  the  use  that  the  "  advocates  of 
St.  Mary's  College  and  the  Catholic  Church,"  as  they 
call  ity  make  af  their  long  boasted  of  Infallibility.  I 
shall  not  pretend  to  say  that  they  came  by  it  from  a  dip, 
of  the  same  kind^  with  that  of  the  Grecian  Hero  ;  but  it 
is  evident  that,  in  all  their  polemical  engagements^  they 
are  obliged  to  trust  to  it,  more  than  to  any  other  weapon. 

According  to  modern  ideas  erf  heroism,  that  champion 
Vho  would  arm  himself  \A^th  invulnerability ^  could  not, 
acquire  much  renown.  Not  so,  however,  is  it  with  tliose, 
who  have  encased  themselves  in  \\\QimfLenetrablez.vmo\ix- 
of  Infallibility.  It  appears  to  give  no  little  confidence 
and  effrontery  to  their  votaries;  and,  like  Medusa's  head, 
seems  to  petrify  even  some  of  their  opponents. 

With  pretensions  so  high  ;  and  an  endowment  so  su- 
pernatural  and  Divine^  why  do  tliey  condescend  to  enter 
the  lists  of  reason  and  argument  ?  If  the  christian  world 
be  denied  the  use  of  private  -Udgmeat ;  and  thfe  free  ex- 

B 


10 

ercise  of  their  reason  in  matters  of  Religious  l^aith  ;  and 
that  all  should  acquiesce  in  the  decisions  of  an  infallible 
Head  or  Judge  ;  whethei  that  be  a  Pope,  a  Council,  or  a 
Church  ;  then  it  must  follow, that  whenever  the  subjects 
of  that  Head  descend  to  Reason  or  Argument,  they  must 
swerve  from  their  holy  allegiance  and  fealty.  In  so  doing 
they  admit,  indirectly^  that  their  infallible  Arbiter  may  be 
mistaken  ;  that  their  opponents  are  free  to  use  the  right 
of  private  judgment ;  and  should,  at  least,  have  some  in^ 
fallible  proof  that  there  can  be  any  human  standard  of  m- 
fallibility  in  Religious  Faith  and  Practice. 

No  truth  can  be  more  clear  than  this,  that  if  it  be  ne- 
cessary to  have  an  infallible  human  judge  or  arbiter ;  it 
is  equally  so,  to  be  infallibly  assured  of  it*  For  admitting 
the .  Judge  to  be  m/a/Zz^/e,  if  we  be  not  infallibly  assured 
of  this,  we  can  never  arrive  at  infallibility  in  any  thing  : 
and  for  this  plain  reason,  that  we  cannot  be  more  certain 
that  his  decisions  are  infallible^  than  we  are  that  the  Head 
or  Judge  himself  is  infallible.  The  building  cannot  be 
more  firm  than  the  foundation,  on  which  it  rests. 

Hence  it  is,  that  if  we  must  believe  in  the  infallibility 
Tjf  the  Church ;  of  the  Council ;  or  of  the  Pope  of  Rome, 
with  an  infallible  Faith,  there  is  an  end  of  all  disputalion. 
No  reason,  nor  arguments,  no  not  even  the  authority  of 
Sciipture  itself,  without  an  infallible  Judge^  can  produce 
nn  irfallible  Faith,  according  to  the  Romish  Doctors.— 
Hence  they  charge  the  Protestant  Faith  with  uncertainty, 
Awi  wiUiiot  allow  it  to  be  divine,  but  human  faith  ;  how- 
ever founded  on  Scripture  authority  and  the  clearest  rea- 
son; merely,  because  we  do  not  rely  on  an  infallible  liv- 
ing Judge  ;  without  which,  they  tell  tt3,  there  can  be  no 
certainty  in  any  tiling  we  believe  \ 

*  But.  if  nothing  but  an  infallible  living  Judge  can  be 

*  Those  who  are  desiroits  of  seeinpf  afiiU  and  able  exposure  of 
the  Doctrine  of  "  iNFALLiBiifTv,"  as  vested  either  in  any  par- 
ticular Churcli  ;  or  Council;  of  in  the  Pope,  may  find  It  in  th« 
•lev.  Mr.  McCulloch'slate  Reiottivion,  &c. 


11 

the  sure  foundation  of  an  infallible  Faith,  then  it  is  to  no 
purpose  to  argue  ;  or  to  reason  about  Religious  Faith,  or 
error.  To  descend  to  this,  under  such  an  impression, 
would  be  only  weighing  reason  against  reason ;  argument 
against  argument ;  and  Scripture  against  the  misrepre» 
sentation  of  Scripture.  So  that  all  such  controversy  must 
be  labour  in  vain.  As  both  sides  must  and  will  grant, 
that  the  best  and  most  convincing  arguments  fail  in  af- 
fording an  infallible  assurance  of  this  particular,  it  neces- 
sarily follows,  that  unless  we  be  infallibly  assured  of  the 
existence  of  an  infallible  human  Judge  or  Standard  of 
what  we  should  believe^er  disbelieve,  all  arguments  must 
be  to  no  purpose..,r-i,:S^2^ 

But  it  dS-iiGt  my  design  to  pursue  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject farther  than  to  shew  the  ground  on  which  all  dispu- 
tants, whether  for  or  against  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  must  enter  the  li^ts.  That  Church, 
now,  as  of  old,  seems  to  assume  all  the  imperial  arro» 
gance  of  infallibility  ;  magnitude  of  numbers  ;  and  length 
of  duration  under  one  earthly  Ecclesiastical  monarch. — . 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Church  of  Christ,  that  is  to  say, 
all  of  every  denomination,  who  bear  his  name  ;  own  Him 
alone  as  their  head  ;  and  embrace  his  word  and  doctrines, 
and  those  of  his  Apostles,  as  their  only  authority  and 
guide,  reject  the  whole  foundation  on  which  the  Church 
of  Rome  erects  her  peculiar  claims  and  prerogative.  In- 
stead of  wrapping  up  her  pretensions  in  the  imperial 
mantle  of  infallibility y  empurpled  Avith  the  blood  of  eve- 
ry competitor;  instead  of  Eeclesial  pride  and  pomp;  o\> 
local  distinctions  of  clerical  rank,  the  Church  of  Christ, 
like  her  Divine  Master,  puts  on  the  garment  of  Humility, 
as  her  fittest  attire  ;  acknowledges  none  of  her  members 
to  be  exempt  from  error,  folly  or  sin;  admits  not  the  Au- 
thority of  any  monstrous  union  of  Church  and  State  j 
owns  no  earthly  infallible  Head,  and  is,  servilely  and  stu- 
pidly, enslaved  by  the  dogmas  of  neither  Popes,  nor 


12 

Priests,  Patriarchs,  nor  Councils,  either  of  Jncient,  or  oi 
Modern  name. 

In  these  principles  tlie  Church  of  Christ  considers  her- 
self instructed  by  Him  who  said,  *<  *Call  no  man  Master.'* 
"  Be  ye  not  called  Rahbi ;" — -And  strictly  enjoined  that, 
whoever  of  his  Ministers,  or  Apostles,  should  aspire  at 
being  greatest^  should  be  accounted  the  lowest  ;  or"  sei'- 
vant  of  all.'*  The  spirit  and  example  of  those  who  faith- 
fully minister  in  this  Church  must  correspond  with  those 
of  its  Divine  author.  So  far  were  his  life  and  example 
from  seeking  after  worldly  pride  and  rank  ;  or  connection 
with  regal  and  imperial  power  and  distinction  ;  that  con- 
descension and  humility  ;  Religious  Liberty  and  Equali- 
ty ;  and  whatever  was  best  adtipted  to  the  poor,  to  the 
meek,  and  to  the  humble  of  this  world,  breathed  through 
every  expressed  aspiration  ;  and  every  principle  of  his 
divine  Gospel.  How  much  of  thcF,e  principles  have  been 
manifested  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  especially  in  the 
lives  of  those  who.  boldly,  if  not  blasphemously,  presume 
to  be  his  "  Vicegerents**  upon  earth,  let  the  impartial 
histories  of  her  Popes,her  Ca,rdinal,s,  Councils  and  Con- 
stitutions, determine. + 

Having  made  these  few  preliminary  observations,  \ 
shall  now  proceed  to  the  more  immediate  subject  of  these 
sti-ictures. 

The  Pastoral  Letter,  of  the  Presbytery  of  Balti- 
more, as  published  in  August  last,  together  with  the  re- 
ply from  the  "  Advocates  of  St.  Mary's  College,  8cc.*'  are 
now^  before  an  enlightened  public,  disposed,  we  hope,  ta 
appreciate  them,  as  the  cause  or  object  which  gave  rise 

*  Matt.  23(1  and  8th. 

■f  In  particiilar  (be  dispustinj^  history  of  the  ambition,  \j'ars, 
feuds,  an^  rivalships  of  the  Popes,  uLth  those  Princes  and  poten- 
tates whose  influence  or  interests  led  to  any  interference ;  togeth- 
er with  their  imperial  splendour,  PalHces,  Courts  »nd  Corona- 
tions, seenn  strange  ^ppendapes,  when  contrasted  with  his  con- 
dstijOnj  who  was  crowned  with  thorns  ! 


13 

to  ihem  ;  as  well  as  the  spirit  and  temper  in  which  they 
are  written,  Should  justify. 

The  gross  and  unfounded  charges  of  slander,  false- 
hood and  misrepresentation,  to  which  the  author  or  au- 
thors of  the  reply  have  descended,  amidst  all  that  eclat 
for  politeness  and  urbanity,  with  which  they  are  so  high- 
ly favoured,  must  prevent  the  Presbytery,  as  a  Religious 
body,  from  meeting  them  on  such  giound. 

This,  however,  is  no  reason  why  their  plain  unembel- 
lished  address  to  their  pastoral  charges  and  to  the  pub- 
lic, should  not  be  defended  ;  it*s  occasion  and  motives 
for  publication,  placed  in  a  still  clearer  light ;  and  it's  all 
INTERESTING  truth,  and  importance  to  society,  vindicat- 
ed and  maintained. 

The  illiberal  insinuation,  that  the  Presbytery  were  at 
a  loss  for  better  '•'food  for  their  respective  flocks,"  ob- 
ligated as  they  are  in  conscience,  and  by  their  ordination 
vows,  to  guard  the  Youth,  under  their  Religious  instruc- 
tion, from  doctrines  and  principles,  abhorrent  to  their 
Faith,  comes  with  a  bad  grace  from  those  Heads  of  a  Se- 
minary, or  a  Church,  which  have  experienced  from  so 
many  of  those  flocks  ;  as  well  from  the  State  in  genera,! 
such  peculiar  liberality.*  "  The  College  of  St.  Mary"  has 
obtained  from  this  State  a  privilege  which,  we  believe, 
no  other  Seminary,  of  like  rank  or  designation,  has  ob- 
tained in  the  United  States.  That  is,  a  Charter,  and  the 
privilege  of  conferring  degrees,  without  any  responsibi-. 
lity  to  Trustees  or  to  the  public,  for  the  manner  in  which 
it  is  conducted;  or  for  the  principles,  literary,  moral  or 
religious,  which  it  is  to  inculcate  or  impose  on  the  com^ 
munity  I  On  what  ground  the  imfiartial  Legislators  of 
a  free  State  could  justify  so  partial  a  grant  and  preroga- 
tive, they  can  best  say  ;  the  Public,  it  is  certain  have  not 

■  I ., . ■ — ■ -« 

*  A.  Charter,  without  any  responsibility  to  Trustees,  may  be 
justly  considered,  *  peculidr  lAb^rality* 


X4 

been  able  to  determine.  I  sit  in  a  State,  or  Society,  where 
these  "  Advocates'"  have  to  boast  of  such  unprecedented 
liberality ;  and  where  Presbyterians  ;  as  well  as  those  of 
other  Protestant  denominations,  have  so  unsuspiciously, 
placed  their  Youth  under  their  tuition,  that  they  can,  with 
truth  say,  that  the  Presbytery  were  obliged  to  have  re- 
course to  "  *Sterne's  Cheshire  Cheese  ?''  These  men  talk 
of  slander,  while  in  the  same  breath,  they  most  ungrate- 
fully pour  it  in  torrents,  on  the  Heads  of  those  whom 
they  acknowledge  as  their  liberal  Benefactors  I 

However  it  might  be  with  "  Sterne's  Flock'*  The 
Presbytery  have  to  regret,  that  a  "  gout"  the  very  re- 
verse, prevails,  where  their  instruction  ought  to  have 
most  influence.  While  a  taste  for  external  shew  and 
pomp,  and  ceremony,  something  lik€  that  which  gave 
rise  to  superstition,  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Christian 
Church,  appears  to  gain  ground,  with  many ;  they  have 
to  lament  the  luke-warmness  and  indiff*erence  of  all  to 
Religions  truth  and  simplicity.  They  are  not  unaware 
that  many,  by  far  too  many,  of  those  whose  Religious  ed- 
ucation should  have  promised  better  thmgs,  have  little  or 
no  concern  whatever  for  what  Religion  be  true,  or  what 
false — And  that  whether  true  or  false,  instructors  of 
Youth  are  not  more  disqualified  by  a  zealous  adherence 
to  the  latter,  than  to  the  former.  They  are  convinced 
that  if  this  indifference  did  not  prevail,  no  Protestant 
Youths  would  be  placed  in  a  Seminary,  which  was  under 
tlie  exclusive  direction  of  men,  lately  removed  from  the 
mazy  and  delusive   atmosphere  of  papal  establishment ; 

*  It  is  no  uncommon  thin^  wLUj  those  who  are  defective  in 
strong  argument,  to  liave  recourse  to  %:ieak  and  licentious  wit.  Had 
the  sentimental  Sterne /e/r  for  what  his  country  had  suffered,  for 
ages,  from  the  tyranny  of  both  the  civil  and  Religious  Catholicism 
of  Rome,  he  would  not  have  employed  his  wit  upon  such  a  topic. 
But  this  was  perfectly  in  cli:irscter  from  the  man,  whose  writings, 
more  than  any  otlier  everpublishcd,  (if  we  may  believe  an  authority 
to  which  St.  Mary's  advoci.tes  themselves  apppal)  tended  to  de- 
b&uch  the  morals  of  his  country. 

See  V.  Knox's  Essay  on  Sterne's  writings. 


15 

and  closely  connected  with  the  Society  at  Rome,  <<  pro 
Fide  propaganda.'* 

These  zealous  Devotees  to  St.  Mary  affect  to  believe 
that  the  title  of  "  Bishop  "  adopted  by  the  Presbytery,  in 
their  Pastoral  Letter,  originated  in  pride  and  ostentation^ 
This  is  very  liberal  and  charitable  I  If  so  dull  in  dis- 
cernment, we  shall,  presently,  try  to  render  it  more  acute, 
by  presenting  lo  their  view  it's  scope  or  design,  in  some 
analysis  of  their  own  Titular  pomp  and  ambition.  *Of 
like  liberality,  is  their  insinuation,  that  any  difference  of 
sentiment  existed  among  the  members  of  Presbytery  who 
were  present,  respecting  the  principal  subject  of  its  con- 
tents. It  is  asserted  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that 
there  was  but  one  mind,  as  to  the  gross  imposition  con- 
tained in  the  Catechism ;  and  if  any  existed  as  to  the  mode 
of  public  exposure,  it  would  certainly,  redound  nothing 
to  the  discredit  of  those,  into  whose  hands  it  was  com- 
mitted, either  with  respect  to  liberality  ;  or  any  other 
consideration. 

Previous  to  entering  upon  the  principal  ground  of  their 
dissatisfaction  with  the  Presbytery,  it  may  be  proper  to 
submit  a  brief  and  correct  statement  of  tlie  case. 

About  the  time  that  St.  Mary's  College  was  opened 
for  the  reception  of  Students,  according  to  the  informa- 
tion of  the  Booksellers,  five  thousand  copies  of  tlie  Ab- 
be Fleury's  Latin  Catechism  were  published,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Faculty,  or  it's  principal,  for  their  use, 
and  the  public's,  at  large.  To  accojnmodae  the  Protes- 
tant Youths  in  that  Seminary,  and  elsewhere,  they  pre- 
tended to  say  in  the  preface,  that  they  had  taken  the  li- 
berty «  to  strike  out**  the  tenets  peculiar  to  the  Catholic 

*  This  observation  would  not  have  been  descended  to,  but 
from  the  impression, n,7f  unauthorhed,  that  a  different  representa- 
tion had  been  made,  from  a  quarter  whence  il  ought  not  to  h»ve 
proceeded. 


16 

Church  ;  and  in  this  *  reformed  state,  they  reoommended 
the  Catechism  to  all  Schools  and  Seminaries  over  tho 
United  States. 

Now  the  main  question,  as  to  truth  or  falsehood  of  re- 
presentation, between  them  and  the  Presbytery  is — Did 
they,  or  did  they  not,  strike  out  the  tenets  peculiar  to 
their  own  Church  ?  The  Presbytery  say  they  did  not ;  and 
on  this,  rest  their  appeal  to  the  public.  In  their  reply 
Ae  vindicators  acknowledge,  when  obliged  to  do  it,  by  re- 
ferenceto  the  book,  that  they  did  not,  entirely^  expunge,  o^ 
Mrike  out,  w^hat  they  had  formerly  declared  they  had ;  and 
yet  have  tlie  modesty  to  charge  tlie  Presbytery  with  "  bear- 
ing false  witness  I** 

But  to  shew  to  ev^ry  candid  and  unprejudiced  mind, 
how  they  expunged,  or  struck  out,  these  tenets  ;  as  well 
as  with  what  regard  to  truth,  or  consistency,  they  vindi- 
cate the  manner  it  was  done,  the  following  specimens  are 
submitted.  As  they  complain  that  the  Presbytery  had 
neglected  this  in  their  letter  ;  it  now  becomes  the  more 
indispensable. 

In  the  15th  page  of  the  Catechism,  the  Decalogue  as, 
taught  in  all  tlie  Protestant  Churches,  is  exhibited  as, 
obviously,  favourable  to  the  wofship  of  pictures  and  im- 
ages, as  practised  snd  sanctioned  by  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Subsequent  to  an  arrangement  of  the  Decalogue,  from 
this  view,  the  words  of  the  Catechism  are.  (page  16th.) 

Interrog.     "  Recita  data  a  Deo  praecepta  ?'* 
Resp.  Ego  Sum  Dominus  Deus,  qui  eduxit,  8cc. 
Int.  Recita  Secundum  ? 
Resp.  Non  Accipies,  nomen  Dei,  Sec. 

•  Had  this  refonnation  been  as  represented,  1  am  at  a  loss  to 
know,  how  they  could  have  answered  for  it  to  the  Holy  Father  j 
to  the  Abbe  Fleury  were  he  livintj  ;  or  to  their  Church,  St.  Do- 
niiftlcans  making  Catechisms  for  the  Youth  of  the  reformed 
Churches  i— What  a  liberal  and  gloriaus  *er»  !  ! 


TRAJ\'SLAJED. 
Q.  Repeat  the  Commands  given  by  Goil  ? 
Ans.  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  brought  thee,  8cc. 
Q.  Repeat  the  Second  ? 
A.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Losd,  8cc. 

The  candid  reader  ^Yill  please  to  observe  that  the  se- 
cond command  in  the  Protestant  Decalogue,  is  here  left 
out,  because  it  expressly  prohibits  the  making  and  wor- 
shipping of  graven  images.  And  the  third  Command  \i\ 
the  Protestant  order,  is  here  made  the  second.  But  to 
make  up  the  number  they  split  the  Tenth  into  two.  And 
thus  the  St.  Mary's  College  manufacture  rf/brwfrf  Cate- 
chisms !  It  is  true^  they  take  the  authority  of  their  own 
Douay  Bible,  for  thus  "  striking  out  the  2d.  Command  of 
the  Decalogue.  But  what  has  become  of  their  regard 
for  truths  when  they  say,  that  they  have  adapted  Fleury'? 
Catechism  to  the  Protestant  Faith  in  this  Instance  ? 

Again,  in  the  o5th  page  of  the  Catechism,  the  iijterro- 
gations  are  as  follow. 

"  Int.  Quare  Petrus  primus  recensetur  ? 

Resp.  Quia  futurum  eum  dixit  Christus,  Petrum  cui 
inaedificaretur  Ecclesia. 

Int.  Quid  praetere^.  dixit  ? 

Resp.  Daturum  ipsi  se  claves  Regni  Coelorum.'* 

TRANSLATED. 

Q.  Wherefore  is  Peter  first  mentioned  in  the  order  of 
the  Apostles  ? 

Ans.  Because  Christ  said  he  would  be  that  Rock  on 
which  his  Church  would  be  built. 

Q.  What  else  did  He  say  to  hira  ? 

Ans.  That  He  v/ould  a:ivc  unto  hirn  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven." 

Now,  we  leave  it  to  any  honest,  ingenuous  mind  to  de* 
termine,  whether  these  juanufacturers  of  reformed  Cftte-. 

e 


18 

chisms  had,  or,  had  not,  2it\y  fiartial  design  in  introducing 
such  questions  into  a  system  of  Religious  instructiori  for 
Protestant  Youths.  *But,  whatever  they  or  the  Catholic 
Church  may  arrogate  to  themselves,  with  regard  to  Pe- 
ter being  the  first  Bishop  of  their  Hx>ly  See  ;  and  the 
exclusive  power  of  the  keys  committed  into  his  hands ; 
it  would  have  been  no  more  than  honest  in  them,  when 
they  assayed  to  make  Catechisms  for  us,  to  have  instruc- 
ted the  Youth  that  Protestants  understand,  very  different- 
ly from  them,  that  portion  of  the  New  Testament.  That 
We  assign  no  more  to  Peter  than  we  do  to  Paul ;  or  to 
any  other  of  the  Apostles;  and  that  the  instruction  and 
directions  which  Christ  gave  to  one,  he  gave  to  all  the  A* 
postles.  And  that  it  no  where  appears  that  Peter,  during  his 
life,  and  ministry,  was  invested  with  more  power,  more 
prerogative  ;  or  more  success  in  the  cause  of  the  Gos- 
pel, than  any  other  of  his  brethren  and  fellow  labourers. 
This,  therefore,  affords  another  specimen  of  regard  to 
truth  in  the  assertion,  that  "  they  had  taken  the  liberty  to 
Strike  out  the  tenets  peculiar  to  the  Roman  church.'* 

The  Presbytery  stated,  in  their  Letter,  that  in  the  Ca- 
techism, put  into  the  hands  of  their  Youth,  St.  Mary's 
Editors,  notwithstanding  their  declaration,  as  to  *  strike 
ing  out'  had  inculcated  even  the  "  wondrous  Doctrine  of 
Transubstantiation."t  But  they  affect  to  deny  the  charge  ; 

*  St.  Augustine,  as  quoted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  M'CuUoch, — Retract : 
Lib.  1.  p.  21,  expressly  declares  it  as  his  opinion  that  when  our 
Lord  said  to  Veter  "  on  this  Mock,  ciJ'c."  He  alluded  to  himself 
and  not  to  Peter,  and  what  Catholic  will  dispute  the  authority  of 
St.  Augustine  ? 

f  The  St.  Mary*s  advocates  seem  to  be  indignant  that  the 
terms  *  absurd"  •  wondrous,  &c-'  have  been  applied  in  the  pas- 
toral Letter,  to  this  infallible  doctrine.  To  shew  them,  more 
convincingly,  why  we  presume  to  bestow  on  it  such  epithets,  we 
refer  them  to  Mr.  Crowley's  ideas  on  that  Doctriae  in  the  ap» 
pendix — and  also  to  the  following  anecdote.  A  young  Catechu- 
men of  their  Church  being  asked,  how  many  Gods  there  were  \ 
Answered,  there  was  no  God  ! — Being  reprimanded  by  his  Con* 
fessor  for  his  Atheistical  impiety — He  replied, — Was  I  not  al- 
ways taught  to  believe  that  there  was  but  one  God — and  you  know 
I  eat  him  yesterday  ! 


19 

and  in  their  vindication,  page  8th.  submit  an  English 
•translation  of  that  part  of  the  Catechism,  referred  to  by 
the  Presbytery.     The  interrogations  are  as  follow : 

Int.  "  Quid  in  ultima  Coenacum  Apostolis  Gessit? 

Resp.  Corpus  et  Sanguinem  tradidit. 

Int.  Qua  Specie  Corpus  Dedit  ? 

Resp.  Accepit  Panem,  benedixit  ac  fregit,  deditque 
dicens  ;  Hoc  est  meum  Cor/ius)  ^c. 

Int,  Qua  specie  Sanguinem  ? 

Resp.  Calicem  Accepit,  infuso  vino,  Aitque  :  ffic  est 
Sanguis  meusy  Sanguis  novi  Testamenti** 

Translation. 

"  Q.  What  did  he  do,  at  his  last  Supper  with  his  Apos- 
tles ? 

Ans.  He  gave  theih  his  Body  and  his  Blood. 

Q.  In  what  kind,  (*or,  as  it  might  be  rendered)  under 
what  appearance  did  he  give  his  Body  ? 

Resp.  He  took  Bread  ;  blessed  and  brake  it,  and  gave 
it,  saying,  "  This  is  my  Body" 

Q.  "  In  what  kind,"  (or  under  what  appearance)  did 
he  give  his  blood  ? 

Resp.  "  He  took  the  cup,  having  poured  in  Wine, 
saying  "  this  is  my  Uood  ;  The  blood  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment." 

How  far  the  Presbytery  were  justifiable  in  supposing 
that  the  impartial  St.  Mary*s  Catechism-Makers,  had  an 
idea  of  inculcating  that  favourite  Doctrine,  in  the  above 
Interrogation,  let  the  candid  judge. 

*  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  Protestant  youth  on  whose 
minds,  the  above  Interrogations  &c.  were  inculcated,  could  un- 
derstand any  thing  of  the  acceptation  of  the  word  **  speciei,"  hi 
translated,  **  kind."  Of  the  ridiculous  jargon  in  the  schools  ;  and 
in  the  controversies  among  the  Romish  Doctors  themselves,  re- 
specting the  application  of  this  word,  in  that  Sacrament,  they 
tould  know  nothing.  It  is  most  likely,  tliercfore,  if  any  of  them 
understood  what  they  were  saying,  they  would  translate  it  *•  ap- 
pearance or  similitude,  as  the  most  natural  and  obrious  meaning 
to  their  comprehension. 


20* 

In  the  s^ie  page  of  the  vindiccUlon.,  they  proceed  to 
^rgue  in  behalf  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  "real  presence," 
from  the  millions,  and  tens,  and  hundreds  of  millions  who 
believe  in  it.  It  is  a  pity  that  these  men  of  Science,  es- 
pecially in  their  Theological  calculations,  would  not  car- 
ry along  with  them  a  little  Chronology  and  Geography. 
If  the  truths  or  error  of  any  controvertetl  Doctrine  of 
Christianity  is  to  be  proved  by  the  numbers  who  either 
deny,  or  believe  it,  it  is  apprehended  that  they  and  we 
botli,  would  be  left  in  the  minority.  They  seem  fond  of 
appealing  to  the  authority  of  the  Apostolic  ages  ;  but 
how  would  this  reasoning  from  millions,  have  served  the 
Christians  of  that  period  ?  Had  they  condescended  to 
shew  us  their  acquaintance  with  the  Chronology  of  the 
*M'eal  presence*' or  '  Transubstantiation' ;  we  would  have 
been  the  better  able  to  judge  of  their  giving  the  autho- 
rity of  any  of  the  Fathers,  of  the  first  or  second  centuries, 
for  this  most  absurd  Doctrine.* 

In  vindication  of  having  introduced  into  their  Protes- 
tant Catechism,  page  51st  chap.  27th,  the  addressing  of 
prayers  to  departed  spirits  ;  they  do  not  consider  it  of  im- 
portance to  shev  in  how  far  this  was  consistent  with  their 
declaration  as  ^  to  striking  out  ;*  but  proceed  to  inform 
us  that  such  was  the  fact.  We  have  no  doubt  of  the  fact* 
But  if  these  men  had  as  much  of  candour,  as  they  seem 
to  have  of  sophistry,  would  they  not  have   informed  us 

*  The  learned  Spanheim  assures  us,  that  it  was  not  known  ;  or 
mentioned  even  by  name  in  the  fourth  Century.  His  words  are, 
•*  Transubstantiationis,  Sacrificii  Missatici.  Confessionis  Auri- 
cularis,  Sacramentorum  Septem,  thesanri  indulgentiarum,  Cul- 
tus  Ang^elorum,  Adorationis  Eucharistae,  8tc.  nondum  audita 
fuisse,  vel  vocabula  vel  mysteria,  nusquam  certe  definita  a  pa. 
tribus,  Conciliis,  nee  in  Orieute,  nee  in  Occidente."  i.  e.  The 
mysteries  of  Transubstantiation,  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  auricu 
lar  Confession,  Seven  Sacraments,  the  Treasures  of  Indulgences, 
the  worship  of  Angels,  the  Adoration  of  the  Eucliarist.  he.  were 
not  as  yet  heard  of^  even  by  name,  and  certainly  no  where  defin- 
ed  by  the  Fathers,  or  by  Councils,  either  in  the  East,  or  in  the 
West. 

See  Spanheim's  JEccl  His.  vol,  1st.  on  the  4th.  Century,  page 


SI 

^v•l^y  they  introduced  sucli  "  Facts,"  into  a#*rotestant 
Catechism  ?  Was  it  for  the  sake  of  precept ;  or  for  ex- 
ample, or  for  both  ?  This  '  Fact'  we  believe  also  and, 
consequently,  must  beiieve  that  there  was  no  infallibltr 
Truth  in  the  editors  of  that  Catechism,  when  they  said 
<  they  had  taken'  the  liberty  of  striking  out  the  peculiar 
tenets  of  their  own  Church.  But  so  it.  appears  that  it 
was  a  *  Fact^  necessary  to  be  known  by  all  the  Protes- 
tant Youths,  attending  at  St.  Mary's  College,  that  Chris- 
tians repaired  to  the  tombs  of  departed  Saints ;  made 
Gods  of  them  ;  and  directed  their  prayers  to  them,  as  pos- 
sessed of  divine  power;  and  that  such  being  the  '  Fact,* 
"  It  was  left  to  Logicians  and  Divines  to  draw  the  con- 
clusion." 

But  <  Logicians  and  Divines,"  and  every  body  else, 
would  be  able  to  form  a  more  correct  conclusion  respect- 
ing this  'Fact'  had  they  here,  also,  condescended  to 
make  use  of  a  little  Chronology,  and  informed  us,  on  good 
authority^  at  what  period  it  was  that  Christians  began  to 
pray  to  Saints,  as  mediators  and  intercessors  ;  and  in  this 
way,  we  would  wish  to  investigate  the  validity  of  all  their 
other  traditionary  Doctrines,  as  well  as  this. 

To  the  charge  of  having  introduced  into  the  Catechism 
for  Protestants,  traditionary  revelation,  as  of  equal  autho- 
rity with  the  written  word  of  God,  they  plead  guilty  ;*  all 
their  former  declaration  as  to  striking  out,  to  the  contra- 
ry notwithstanding  ;  but  boldly  venture  to  vindicate  its 
claim  to  that  divine  rank  to  which  they  have  presumed 
to  raise  it.  With  this  presumption,  the  Presbytery  had 
no  design  to  interfere,  why  then,  instead  of  vindicating 
the  propriety  of  their  having  introduced  it  into  a  Protes- 
tant Catechism,  do  they  turn  to  the  defence  of  the  thing 
itself  ?     If  a  man  were  ari-aigned  at  a  bar  of  Justice  for 

*  Who  ever  before  heard  of  the  accused  pleading j^uilty  to  the 
rharge  ;  and  at  same  time  declaring,  that  the  prosecution  had  given 
false  witness  in  that  instance  ? 


22 

some  paHicular  kind  of  fraud  or  swindling,  would  it  se- 
.  cure  his  acquittal  to  state  jthat  he  could  shew,  that  in  a  cer- 
tain society  of  men  what  he  had  committed  was  fully 
sanctioned  ;  and  that  he  ought  to  be  justified,  as  profess- 
ing to  be  a  member  of  tliat  society  ?  Now,  where  is  the 
difference  between  this  case  and  the  charge  brought  by 
the  Presbytery  ;  and  their  manner  of  defending  it  ? 

I'he  ?l'esbytcry*s  ground  of  coinplaint  was  not  that  the 
"I'acuity  6f  St.  Mary's  College  discovered  great  ahd  ex- 
traordinary zeal  m  the  promulgation  of  their  own  tenets  j 
no — 'But  that  they  undertook  to  Tnanufacture  a  Protes- 
tant Catechism  for  the  Youth  of  that  profession  ;  that  it 
tv^as  in  a  language  which  few  of  the  parents  ;  or  even  of 
the  youths  themselves  at  the  time  they  committed  it, 
could  understand.*  Not  only  so  ;  but  that  the  manufac- 
turers of  the  Catechism,  had  declared  to  the  public,  in  a 
language  that  they  all  understood,  that  they  had  left  out 
•what  in  *  Fact^  they  had  not  left  out ,  and  when  detect- 
ed and  arraigned  at  the  bar  oi  the  public ;  they  plead 
guilty  to  the  charge,  at  least  in  part,  but  defend  it  on  the 
ground,  that  they  themselves  believed  it  all — every  word 
of  it ;  and,  ergo,  it  was  quite  correct  and  proper  to  intro- 
duce it — And  the  Presbytery  were  most  idly  employed  ; 

•  As  the  vindicators  are  bold  enough  to  challenge  any  proof  of 
their  having-  iimed  at  any  improper  influence  over  the  nninds  of 
Protestant  Youths  under  their  tuition  ;  the  following  account  can 
be  attested  in  any  way  that  a  proper  investigation  should  de- 
injind.  A  Protestant  Youth  of  respectable  Connectioft*,  and  of  ca- 
pacity equal  to  most  youths  of  his  age,  previous  to  being  placed  at 
their  College,  had  been  introduced  to  Latin  Grammar  at  Mr. 
Priestley*s  AcAdemy— And  wks  afterwatds  placed  and  continued 
for  more  than  three  years  under  the  instruction  of  St.  Mary's 
College,  at  an  expence  of  at  least  four  hundred  dollars  per  an- 
tium.  On  being  removed,  at  the  end  of  that  period,  he  was  founa 
to  be  much  better  acquainted  with  Flcury*s  Catechism  than  his 
Grammar.  The  former  he  could  repeat  with  considerable  rea- 
diness ;  but  as  to  the  latter  he  could  not  distinguish  the  conju- 
gations of  verbs  ;  nor  the  declensions  of  nouns — could  not  spell 
common  words  of  four  syllables— and  had  not  acquired  the  five 
common  rules  of  Arithmetic.  Fleury— Fleury,— -was  all  and  all. 
The  youth  is  now  of  a  proper  age  to  attest  the  truth  ol'  this  state- 
ment. 


23 

not  only  so,  but  also  most  inveterate,  illiberal  and  unchar- 
itable in  daring  to  obstruct,  molest,  or  gainsay  their  man- 
ufacture of  Protestant  Catechisms ;  more  especially  as  they 
were  in  Latin  ;  and  could  do  little  harm  ! — Such  is  the 
state  of  logic  at  St.  Mary's  ;  or  at  least  with  the  <  vindica-. 
tors  of  it  and  the  Catholic  church  I* 

In  vindicating  their  unwritten  favourite  Pqgim  of  ^l\ 
other  Dogmas,  "  Tradition,**  they  do  not  condescencj 
to  shew  us  what  they  mean  by  it,  in  its  true  shape 
and  features.  Neither  do  they  set  any  limits  to  it's 
comprehensiveness  or  extent.  With  them  it  seems  to 
be  coaeval  with  Adam  and  Moses  ;  and  to  extend  from 
Moses  to  St.  Mary's  College.  So  that  in  a  century  hence, 
it  would  appear  from  their  logic,  that  their  vindication 
against  the  Presbytery's  Pastoral  Letter,  as  now  publish- 
ed, will  be  of  equal  validity,  in  their  Creed,  with  the 
word  of  God ! 

Like  all  other  fallacious  reasoners  who  find  themselves 
on  an  <  Arena'  that  shrinks  from  beneath  them,  at  every 
step ;  they  feebly  attempt  to  turn  the  Presbytery's  charge, 
as  to  Tradition,  against  themselves,  by  the  sarcastic  sug- 
gestion, that  they  also  are  indebted  to  *  Tradition'  for 
many  of  their  own  tenets.  This  might  have  some  weight 
had  they  shewn  that  the  Presbytery  owe  to  Tradition 
alone,  those  Doctrines  or  tenets  which  constitute  th© 
principal  ground  of  diiferpnce  between  them  and  the  Ro- 
mish church.  But  according  to  the  fair  or  just  accepta-* 
tion  of  the  equivocal  term  '  Tradition,'  as  stated  in  the 
Catechism,  the  Presbytery  must  disown  any  and  every 
tenet,  or  principle,  founded  on  such  uncertain  authority. 
That  they  and  the  St.  Mary's  editors  of  a  Protestant  Ca- 
techism, do  not  alike  understand  the  authority^  of  Scrip- 
ture, either  analogically  ;  or  literally  as  expressed,  is  rea* 
dily  allowed.  The  Presbytery  and  they,  it  is  presumed, 
have  also  very  different  opinions  respecting  the  canon  of 
Scripture.     For  it's  <  canonicity,'  as  the  St.  Mary's  The- 


24 

ologists,  learnedly  express  it,  *  The  Presbytery  look  not 
either  to  Trent,  or  to  Constance ;  to  Carthage,  or  to  Rome ; 
but  to  an  authority,  infinitely,  superior  to  Popes,  or  Pa- 
triarchs, Synods,  or  Councils.  That  those  who  arrogate 
to  themselves  the  name  of  <  Catholic,'  seem  to  know  so 
little  of  this  authority  ;  and  also  less  of  this  '  canonicity* 
of  Scripture  than  that  which  is  merely  human.  Tradition- 
ary, and  unwritten,  the  Presbytery,  as  well  as  all  the  re- 
formed Churches,  have  much  reason  to  regret. 

The  luTmnous,  Syllogistic  conclusion  they  form  on 
this  important  part  of  their  vindication,  is  worthy  of  the 
^ause.  The  fallacious  weapon  of  the  schoolmen  of  the 
dark  ages,  is  the  best  that  could  be  devised,  on  an  argu- 
ment«  whose  tendency  is  to  reduce  God  to  a  level  with 
sinful,  erring  man  ;  or  which  is  the  same  thing,  the  word 
of  Divine  Truth,  to  a  level  with  the  vain  Traditions  of 
those  who,  presumptuously  seek  to  cover  their  errors 
with  the  illegitimate  robe  of  infallibility. 

It  is  the  rich  and  happy  privilege  of  those  Christians 
whom  God  hath  enabled  to  disentangle  themselves,  for- 
ever, from  the  Monkish  and  Jesuitical  mode  of  discern- 
ing Truth,  by  twisted  and  illogical  Syllogisms,  to  under- 
stand, and  to  read  for  themselves.  The  Spirit  of  God,  ac- 
companying his  Holy  word,  beareth  witness  to  their  hearts 
and  Consciences  for  its  Truth,  and  exhibits  the  vanity 
and  presumption  of  all  "  Tradition,  were/e/  hiunan^  when 
put  in  competition  with  that  which  is  Divine  ;  and  of  di- 
vine efficacy,  on  the  lives  and  conduct  of  men.  "  To  the 
Law  and  to  the  Testimony"  and  to  these  only  do  they  ap- 
peal; and  renounce  all  confidence  in  any  other  standard.' 
Far  from,  servilely,  submitting  to  the  impious  prohibition 
of  not  reading  and  judging  for  themselves,  in  matters  of 
Faith  and  Conscience,  they  are,  with  the  Divine  Blessing, 
enabled  to  attain  a  full  view  of  that  pure  and  Holy  system 
of  Truth  and  Righteousness,  inctiicated  in  the  Bjble. 


25 

Comrrianded  by  the  voice  of  Heaven  to  read  and  search 
the  Scriptures,  for  the  foundation  of  their  Faith,  they 
view,  as  blasphemous,  the  proud  prohibitions  of  those 
"vvho  forbid  the  exercise  of  this  blessed  privilege.  Hence 
the  principles  and  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel  are  habitu- 
ally impressed  upon  their  minds  ;  they  read,  and  they 
meditate  on,  the  word  of  God  ;  and  receive  and  rest  up- 
on it  alone,  and  its  blessed  promises,  for  their  guide  to 
Salvation.  They  consider  Him  who  would  seek  to  rob 
them  of  this  invaluable  privilege,  as  a  more  impious  and 
tyrannical  despot,  than  they  would  that  Ruler,  or  Govern- 
ment, that  would  refuse  them  the  use  of  the  Charter  or 
Constitution  of  their  civil  rights.  They  know  that  a  per- 
fect God  would  not  reveal  to  them  a  blmd  or  imperfect 
Guide ;  they  know,  and  they  believe,  that  He  would  not 
bequeath  to  them  a  Testament^  sealed  with  the  blood  of 
the  Saviour>  to  which  the  pride,  or  the  presumption  of 
sinful  erring  man,  could  annex  any  codicil,  of  equal  au- 
thority. 

That  such  a  codicil,  tlie  Church  ofltome  has  presum- 
ed to  form,  they  hesitate  not  boldly  to  acknowledge  and 
vindicate.  And  if  we  examine  this  traditionary  codicil; 
the  sera  of  its  origin  ;  together  with  its  prolific  increase, 
•we  shall  be  the  better  enabled  to  judge  of  the  consequen- 
ces of  any  Church  assuming  such  unwarrantable  autho- 
rity— And  also  with  what  consistency  they  charge  Pro- 
testantism with  being  so  productive  of  sects,  schismsj 
and  variety  of  denominations. 

The  learned  Spanheim*  enumerates  the  following  as 
the  principal  Traditions  introduced  by  the  Church  of 
Rome  after  the  third  Century ;  and  against  whicli  St.  Au- 
gustine himself  complains  in  his  letter  to  Januarius.* 

1.  The  worship  of  Images  and  Reliques, 

*  See  Spanh.  Hist.  Saec.  quint,  pag  :  463. 


26 

2.  The  adoration  of  St.  Mary. 

3.  The  invocation  of  the  Saints. 

4.  Purgatory. 

5.  Papal  indulgence  to  commit  sin.' 

6.  Auricular  confession  and  Absolution^ 

7.  Corpus  Christi,  or  Transubstantiation. 

8.  The  propitiatory  sacrifice  of  <  Missa,  or  Mass. 

9.  Adoration  of  Corpus  Christi. 

10.  Processions  for  that  purpose. 

11.  Missae  Solitariae. 

12.  Withholding  the  Cup  from  the  Laity, 

13.  Infallibility  of  the  Pope  ;  of  Councils  ;  and  of  the 
Church,  £cc. 

Under  the  term,  "  Traditions,*'  may  be  comprehend- 
ed all  the  Tenets,  Symbols,  Ceremonies,  forms  and  ob- 
servances, unsanctioned  by  the  word  of  God,  recognised 
or  sanc^zo;z«/ by  the  Council  of  Trent;*  and  for  the  non- 
observance  of  which  all  delinquents  were  to  be  pronounc- 
ed accursed ;  and  driven  from  the  peal  of  Holy  Mother 
Church. 

"When  the  unprejudiced  Reader  considers  that  such 
were  the  Traditions^  alluded  to  in  the  manufacture  of  a 
Protestant  Catechism,  and  their  own  vindication  goes  to 
acknowledge  this  much ,;  he  may  then  be  enabled  to  de- 
termme  who  they  are  who  have  wantonly  presumed  to 
■<'  bear  false  witness  against  their  A''eig\\bour,** 

Indeed  we  may  observe,  finally,  upon  this  part  of  the 
subject,  that  it  is  with  these  vindicators,  as  it  was  with 
the  Jews  of  Old,  Avho  in  our  Saviour's  time,  asked  Him, 
«  Why  walk  not  your  Disciples  according  to  the  Tradi- 

*  The  history  of  the  Council  of  Trent  alone,  in  the  diversity  of 
opinion  that  there  existed  amotig  the  Romish  Doctors  ;  together 
with  the  different  interests,  psssions  and  prejudices,  which  made 
their  appearance  on  every  subject  of  discussion,  afford  a  curious 
iuundaiioM  on  which  to  found  the  proud  structure  of  Infali.ibi- 
i.ity. 


27 

tion  of  the  Elders  ?"  "  And  he  said  unlo  them,  full 
well  ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God,  that  ye  may 
keep  your  own  Tradition^  And  St.  Paul,  whom  we 
Protestants  find  no  cause  to  honour  less  thai>  St.  Peter, 
seems  to  have  had  a  perfect  foresight  of  what  would  take 
place  among  some  professing  to  be  CJiristiaus,  with  re- 
spect to  vain  traditions^  when  he  said,  "  Beware  lest  any 
man  spoil  you  through  vain  deceit,  after  the  Traditions 
of  men,  and  not  after  Christ." 

There  is  yet  another  instance  oithc  honesty  \\\\h  which 
the  Protestant  Catechism  was  digested  by  its  advocates, 
particularly,  at  the  60th  page  chapt.  5th,  where  it  is  in- 
culcated that  Christ,  after  his  exaltation,  still  continues 
to  offer  up,  in  intei cession  for  us,  the  .sacrifice  of  "  that 
same  body"  which  was  suspended  on  the  cross.*  This  is 
Tradition  with  a  witness  !  And  is  introduced,  as  is  pro- 
bable, to  justify  the  Missa,  Mass,  or  continued  Symbolic 
Sacrifice  or  offering  up  of  Christ,  in  direct  opposition  to 
what  we  are  instructed  by  the  ApostlC)  "  That  he  was 
once  offered  up  for  all.** 

But,  whatever  ground  the  Presbytery  might  have  had 
for  dissatisfaction  with  the  Catechism  on  account  of  this, 
as  well  as  the  other  Traditionary  tenets,  insidiously  in- 
troduce dy  why  come  forward  to  the  public  with  their  in- 
vectives, long  after  the  Catechism,  in  question,  had  been 

"  •  Int.  Christus  in  Coelo  nonne  Ecelsiam  Juvat  I 

Resp.  Etiam,  per  pastores  et  sacei'dotes  regit. 

Int.  Nonne  ipse  Sacerdos  ^ 

Resp.  Summus  ipse  Pontifex  qui  pro  nobis  intercedlt. 

Int.  Quod  Sacrificiuin  offert  ? 

Resp.  Idem  quod  in  Cruce  obtulit. 

TRANSLATE!}. 
Q;  Does  not  Christ  in  Heaven  aid  the  Church  ? 
A.  Yes,  he  governs  it  by  Pastors  and  Priests. 
Q.  Is  not  he  a  Priest  himself? 

R.  Certainly.  He  is  that  great  Pontiff  who  intercedes  for  ns 
Q.  What  sacrifice  does  he  ofier  I 
K.  The  same  that  he  ojercd  on  the  Croas.** 


?8 

suspended,  by  the  peaceable^  Un designing  Faculty  ot 
St.  Mahy  ? 

To  this  verv  imposing  apology  it  is  replied,  how  were 
the  Presbytery  to  know  that  it  was  suspended  ? 

The  fact  is,  that  they  did  not  know.  But  was  it  not 
sufficient  for  them  to  know,  and  that  by  the  testimony  of 
several  members  of  tlieir  own  body,*  that  the  arts  prac- 
tised at  St.  Mary's,  had  made,  and  were  still  likely  to  make 
an  impression,  the  most  subversive  of  their  rejigious 
Faith,  on  the  minds  of  the  Youth,  of  their  connection  at 
that  Seminary  ? 

Did  the  vindicators  of  St.  Mary's,  &c.  publicly  advise 
the  community  of  their  having  become  conscious  of  the 
inroad  they  had  made  on  the  Faith,  and  the  privileges  of 
th^ir  neighbours  ?  Did  '  they  pretend  to  call  in  the  re- 
gaining ^pies  of  the  obnoxious  Catechism?  When  the 
fjirculation  of  a  forgery  pf  any  kind  has  taken  place,  and 
the  culprits  have  byBen  detected,  have  not  the  public  a 
right  to  expect  that  the  imposition  should  be  arrested. — ■ 
And  whatever  n;ight  have  been  the  designs  of  its  author 
or  authors,  that  their  endeavours  to  recall  it,  should  be  a^ 
zealous,  as  they  had  formerly  been  for  its  circulation  ? 

But  what  exertions  have  they  made  for  this  purpose ; 
bearing  as  it  still  does,  the  name  of  a  Protestant  Cate- 
chism ?  It  was  only  the  other  day  that  a  copy  of  it  was 
purchased  at  the  Book-Seller's,  under  the  designation  of 
^'  The  Protestant  Efiiscopal  Catechism  of  the  Abbe 
Fleury^'i  I  have  no  idea  that  the  ^'  Watchmen''  of  that 
Church  recognise  that  Catechism  as  theirs  ;  or  that  they 

*  One  member  of  the  Presbytery  submitted  an  account  of  his 
beinp  solici»e(l  by  one  of  hist  ongregation  to  converse  with  his  son 
on  the  subject  <;f  his  havi-ijr  applied  lo  him  for  leave  to  become 
&  Cuthohn. — And  another  member  stated  that  a  Boy  of  twelve 
years  of  age  who  had  been  sit  St.  Miiry's,  for  some  considerable 
time,  had  on  ej^amining  liim  on  Fleury's  Catechism,  entered 
warmly  into  the  defence  of  th#  authority  of  Tradition. 


29 

sanction  it  by  their  authority ;  but  such  ]k  the  fkct ; 
which  at  least  serves  to  shew,  that  it  3till  continues  to  be 
an  imposition  on  Protestants  ;  and  consequently  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  all  who  profess  any  regard  for  their  religious 
Faith,  as  well  as  tlic  Presbytery,  to  unmaek  the  Impos- 
ture. 

The  Presbytery  meet  but  twice  in  the  year.  The  sub- 
ject we  have  reason  to  believe  was  introduced  to  them, 
previous  to  the  suspension  of  the  Catechism.  It  was, 
however,  postponed  from  one  session  to  another;  or 
from  year  to  year  ;  until  they  learned  that  other  arts,  still 
more  imposing  on  the  youthful  sense  and  mind,  had  been 
introduced  into  that  Seminary,  especially  by  the  idola- 
trous procession  of  "  Corpus  Christi.*''^ 


*  It  had  been  well  if  the  enlightened  Faculty  of  St.  Mary'# 
who  are  such  admirers  of  the  Fine  Arts— and  the  field  aflorded 
to  them  in  such  processions,  had  submitted  a  description  of  some 
of  them  in  any  of  those  countries  where  they  are  exhibited  in  all 
their  glory.  An  EnpUsh  gentleman,  traveUing  through  Spain  ia 
3804,  in  a  lately  published  volume,  gives  one  that  could  not  fail 
to  make  all  tasteless,  dull  Presbyterians,  and  other  Portestants, 
wonderful  admirers  of  the  Fine  Arts.  He  informs  us  that  at  Ma- 
drid  in  the  front  of  the  procession,  on  '^  Corpus  Christi  Day — 
were  several  machines  or  Triumphal  Cars,  each  drawn  by  four 
fine  Mules,  which  contained  figures  or  representations  of  curious 
workmanship.  The  1st.  That  of  the  Trinity,  and  of  Adam  and 
Eve  expelled  from  Paradise.  The  2d.  The  Holy  Virgin— The 
3d.  Faith— The  4th  St.  Vincent— The  5th  St.  Michael,  and  the 
6th  the  Devil!  Each  of  these  contained  groups  of  dancing  boys,8tc. 
— only  that  of  his  Satanic  majesty  had  a  different  accompaniment 
—  which  delicacy  forbids  us  to  mention.  All  the  Saints  on  that 
day,  were  mustered  from  the  different  Parish  Churches  in  Ma- 
drid— Most  of  them  arrayed  in  very  tawdry  apparel— Next  all  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Convents— then  the  Monks  of  Holy  Trinity  ia 
Soutans  ;  black  Hoods,  &c.  Then  the  Capuchins  in  brown— The 
Carmelites  brow.i  and  white  cloaks— Benedictines  in  blnck — Fri- 
ars of  St.  Francis  in  black — Franciscans  in  grey,  some  in  blue — 
Canons  of  St.  Augustine  black— St.  Dominicans  in  white  with 
black  cloaks — and  all  these  carrying  their  respective  Saints  ;  and 
chaunting  as  they  walked.  The  four  Evangelists  were  in  masque- 
rude  ! — They  could  not  observe,  owing  to  the  quickness  of  their*- 
march,  all  the  emblems  or  devices  in  which  they  had  decked  the 
Evangelists— only  that  St.  Luke  had  got  on  a  Bull's  head  !  The 
HOST,  or  '*  Corpus  Christi,"  was  placed  under  a  rich  canopy  of 
Gold,  in  a  large  Gothic  frame  of  Qold,  surrounded  by  a  blaze  of 


30 

Whatever  these  vindicators  may  think,  or  say,  or  write, 
respecting  the  interference  of  the  Presbytery,  under 
these  circumstances  ;  or  however  repugnant  it  may  have 
been  to  the  very  liberal  feelings  or  opinions  of  "  Semi? 
Protestants"  half-way  Presbyterians,  and  of  some  with, 
whom  all  religion  is,  merely  "  Bagatelle  ;'*  yet,  whoever 
has  heard  the  Solemnity  of  an  Ordination  vow,  would  be 
convinced  that  for  the  Presbytery  to  have  silently^  pass- 
ed over  such  means  of  corrupting  the  Religious  princi- 
ples of  the  youth,  under  their  Pastoral  care  ;  would  have 
been  a  base  dereliction  ot  duty,  for  which  they  could 
plead  no  excuse  at  the  bar  of  their  own  consciences ;  at 
that  of  the  Church  with  which  they  are  connected  ;  or 
at  that  of  their  Maker  and  their  Judge. 

Having  now,  as  concisely,  as  possible,  exhibited  on 
what  ground  the  Presbytery  was  not  only  justifiable  in 
the  letter  or  address  which  tl^ey  submitted  to  those  un* 

candles  ;  the  four  Senior  Canons  of  the  (;athedral ;— The  Mitre 
on  a  Crimson  Cushion';— The  Arch-bishop  walking  bare  headed, 
with  his  Crozier  in  his  hand;  Gentlemen  of  the  Arch  Bishop  car- 
rying his  red  velvet  chair  of  State— Nobles  of  the  city — The  Go- 
vernor and  Generaliwith  candles.  The  Procession  concluded  with  a 
detachment  of  Soldiers  ;  and  on  the  entrance  of  the  Host  into  the 
Cathedral,  there  was  a  discharge  of  Artillery.  The  sight  was 
grand  beyond  description— The  Cathedral  was  lighted  up  in  the 
richest  and  most  fanciful  manner — The  Gotliic  Lanthorn  had  a 
particularly  beautiful  effect— And  the  high  Altar,  ejitirfly  Silver, 
blazed  with  innumerable  candles.  The  author  concluc)e.s  the  ac- 
count of  whichjthis  is  but  an  imperfect  sketch,  by  observing  that 
on  his  entering  the  Cathedral  there  was  a  loud  and  noisy  Chorus 
of  singing,  accompanied  with  organs,  fiddles,  &c.  And  that  when 
the  confusion  of  tongues  and  sounds  had  finished,  the  Arch-Bi- 
shop ate  the  object  of  Adoration— The  '*  Car/:us  Christi,**  hav- 
ing previously  elevated  it  before  the  people.  He  was  surround- 
ed by  Tapers,  Incense  and  Priests,  in  glittering  robes,  and  seeni- 
ed  actually  enveloped  in  a  flood  of  lights.  He  then  resumed  his 
Mitre,  gave  the  Benediction  and  concluded  the  most  pompous 
and  splendid  scene  the  traveller  had  ever  beheld.  What  a  source 
of  pious  reflection  must  not  such  a  procession  afford  the  humble 
admirer  of  the  example  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus  !  What  a 
pity  we  could  not  have  such  scenes  and  processions  ?  St.  Mary's 
vindicators  may  well  say,  that  it  is  only  at  Rome  and  Naples— 
St  Madrid,  or  Lisbon  ;  that  the  Gospel  has  produced  such  glorious, 
such  splendid,  such  luminous  effects  !  ! 


31 

der  their  Pastoral  charge  and  to  the  public  ;  but  that,  in 
consistency  with  their  solemn  duty,  they  could  not  have 
declined  some  public  exposure  of  so  manifest  an  en- 
croachment on  the  sphere  of  their  ministerial  office,  in 
the  Religious  instruction  of  iheir  Youth ;  any  farther  pro- 
secution of  the  subject,  in  the  way  of  controversy,  would 
be  dispensed  with,  had  not  these  infallible  men  preced- 
ed to  impugn  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Protes- 
tant, I  might  say,  the  Christian  Faith  ;  and  to  insinuate 
that  all  its  Doctrines  and  Tenets,  and  Creeds,  and  sys- 
tems are  only  so  many  heresies,  because  unsanctioned  by 
their  infallible  Church !  Not  content  with  the  pitiful 
pretext  with  which  they  seek  to  cover  their  insidiousness 
with  respect  to  the  Catechism,  they  embrace  the  occa- 
sion for  trumpeting  forth  their  fie culiar  claims  to  exclu- 
sive Catholicism  j  Literary  patronage  j  Ecclesiastical 
pre-eminence  ;  and  primaeval  and  Apostolic  authority  I  I 

Previous  to  a  very  pompous  display  of  pretension  to 
this  high  rank,  over  all  their  heretical  neighbors,  they 
attempt  to  vindicate  their  annual  procession  for  the  Ado- 
ration of  Corpus  Christi ;  or  as  it  is  sometimes  designa- 
ted, the  elevation  of  the  Hostia  or  Host.  However  the 
Presbytery  might  pity  such  delusion,  they  had  no  design 
©f  ari-aigning  their  Religious  rights  or  privileges,  but  in 
as  far  as  that  idolatrous  procession  might  endanger  the 
corruption  of  those  whom  it  is  their  solemn  duty  to  pre- 
serve from  error  and  imposture,  by  the  most  effectual 
means  in  their  power. 

The  influence  which  all  Preceptors  are  kno\vn  to  have, 
and  to  exercise  over  the  minds  of  those  whom  they  in- 
struct ;  the  deference  and  respect  which  youth  generally 
pay,  or  ought  to  pay  toall  proper  and  well  accredited  in- 
structors, could  not  fail  to  convey  the  impression,  that  at 
St.  Mary's  College  such  a  procession  must  have,  a  strongs 
tendency  to  lead  the  youth  aside  from  their  own  Religi- 


32 

bus  principles.  It  can  form  no  ground  for  removing  this 
apprehension,  to  affirm  that  the  Protestant  youth  have 
not  been  invited,  nor  urged  to  join  in  the  Procession. — ' 
They  know  that  their  instructors  will  be  pleased  at  theii* 
doing  so  ;  and  this,  together  with  the  natural  Levity  of 
their  own  mind«,  and  their  attachment  to  ostentatious 
parade  ;  it  is  presumed,  must  generally  prompt  them  to 
^  falling  without  much  invitation.  The  Rev.  Faculty  of 
St.  Mary,  may  sneer  at  this  apprehension ;  and  so  may 
those  also  among  Protestants,  whose  Religion  consists 
more  in  show,  than  in  substance  or  in  spirit.  But  to 
Christians  whose  Faith  should  teach  them  to  look  on  such 
Processions,  as  Moses  did  on  the  molten  calf  in  the  wil- 
derness^, and  even  under  circumstances  of  much  more 
aggravated  and  inexcusable  Idolatry,  these  very  liberal 
gentlemen  must  allow,  that  they.may  have  afforded  some 
ground  of  dissatisfaction  to  such  parents  as  confided 
their  sons  to  their  instruction,  under  the  impression, 
that  no  allurement  nor  temptation  should  be  resorted  to, 
that  might  seduce  them  from  their  own  Religious  prin- 
ciples. And  we  may  be  well  assured  that  it  was  under 
this  impression  that  their  State -Legislature  gave  the  Col- 
lege a  Charter,  and  the  right  of  conferring  degrees. 

May  we  not  then  ask,  why  is  it  that  when  thus,  liber-* 
ally,  supported  by  Protestant  patronage ;  and  with  so 
many  motives  for  moderation,  they  go  farther  in  blazon- 
ing forth  what  is  most  in  opposition  to  Protestantism, 
tiian  any  Ecclesiastic  of  that  Church  ever  previously  at- 
tempted in  these  states  ?  Or,  why  is  it  that  they  assume 
a  more  influential,  imposing  and  exclusive  sphere  of  Mo- 
ther-Church prerogative,  than  she  ever  before  aimed  at, 
even  in  Maryland  ?  The  answer  is  obvious.  Because 
they  boast  in  being  the  sons  of  St.  Dominick  ;  the  most 
furious,  intolerant,  and  zealous  sect  under  the  influence 
of  his  monarchial  Holiness;  and  the  founders  of  the' 
Inquisition. 


If,  therefore,  they  manifest  all  this  extraoixlinary  zeal ; 
Ihis  devotional  warmth,  encreased  and  encrcasing,  all  this 
energy,  industry,  fidelity,  and  rigid  perseverance  in  the 
maintenance  of  their  own  Traditionary  Tenets;  with 
the  most  marked  and  pointed  disrespect  for  the  opinions* 
or  the  Doctrines  of  their  protestant  neighbours,  why  so 
indignant  at  the  Presbytery  for  discovering  some  little 
zeal,  also,  for  holding  fast  "  the  profession  of  their 
Faith  ?'*  It  must  be  acknowledged ;  and  that  to  our 
shame,  that  far,  very  far  indeed,  as  these  men  are  remov- 
ed from  their  "  Jlma  Mater  ;"  and  their  pontifical  So- 
vereign j  yet  in  zeal  for  proselytism,  inflexible  ad- 
herence to  their  Creed,  such  as  it  is,  and  also  in  a  bold 
and  explicit  vindication  of  what  they  profess,  they  have 
few  competitors.  Neither  consideration  of  individual  in- 
terest ;  local  prejudice  ;  social  sentiment ;  nor  any  other 
time-serving  policy,  appears  to  have  any  weight  with 
them  ;  wdiiie  unaccountable  as  it  may  seem,  with  some 
who  profess  Protestantism,  there  is  no  toleration  for  any 
zeal  in  other  denominations.  Such  seem  to  think  that 
Religious  fervour  or  interest,  is  a  Popish  tenet ;  a  spirit, 
%vhatever  be  the  cause,  that  none  but  the  Priests  of  that 
Church  ought  to  exercise,  even  in  d^nce  of  Truth  and 
Righteousness  J 

But  to  those  conversant  with  the  history  of  Christian-* 
ity,  it  is  not  difficult  to  account  for  the  extraordinary 
zeal  of  those  who  are  proud  of  acting  under  the  com- 
mandj  either  of  a  spiritual  or  a  temporal  monarch.  Pow- 
er and  pre-eminence  over  all  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
the  whole  Catholicised  Globe,  have  been  the  leading 
springs  to  activity  and  zeal  in  Rome  Christian,  as  well 
as  in  Rome  Pagan.  There  appear  to  be  few,  of  the 
present  day,  who  seem  disposed  to  trace  the  History  of 
their  pursuit  after  Ecclesiastical  power, in  particular.  In 
order  therefore,  that  those  who  have  not  time  for  such  re- 
searches  may  te  enabled  to  take^  even  a  bird's  eve  pros- 

E 


beet  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  that  Power,  I  shall  en* 
deavour  to  submit  one,  agreeably  to  tiie  best  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Historians. 

During  the  first  century,  the  Golden  age  of  Christi- 
anity as  to  purity  in  principle,  the  Church  at  Rome, 
had  no  superiority  over  the  Churches  at  Jerusalem  ;  at 
Antioch  ;  at  Corinth  ;  or  at  Carthage  and  elsewhere.— 
Neither  was  Peter  held,  in  any  respect,  superior  to  the 
other  Apostles.  It  is  true  indeed  that,  on  some  occa- 
sions, he  appears  to  have  been  first  mentioned  by  our 
Saviour  ;  But  we  have  no  evidence  of  his  having  claimed, 
or  received,  any  rank  or  superiority  over  the  other  Apos- 
tles ;  or  that  his  Apostle  ship  was  blessed  with  any  more 
distinguished  success  than  was  that  of  St.  Paul. 

In  this  century,  no  Presbyter  nor  Bishop  had  more  au- 
thority than  another  ;  neither  was  the  title  of  *  Bishop' 
given  to  any  but  such  as  had  a  fixed  particular  charge  or 
Congregation.  Peter  therefore,  by  the  *most  impartial 
Historians  has  been  considered  an  Apostle :  and  not 
strictly  speaking?  a  Bishop  ;  the  office  of  the  former  being 
to  itinerate  j  and  that  of  the  latter,  to  continue  in  one 
Church— And,  consequently  that  Peter  as  a  Bishop,  could 
not  constitute  the  first  link  in  the  chain  of  the  Hierarchi- 
cal succession  at  Rome.t 

Nor  was  the  term  "  Catholic-,'''  during  this  or  the  sub- 
•iCqucnt  Century,  g^iven  to  that  of  Rome,  exclusively, 
more-than  to  any  other  Church.  At  this  period,  the 
Doctrines,  forms  of  worship  and  Church   government 

*  See  CaiPpbell's  Ecc.  Lect.  page  193.  Phil.  Edit. 

\  Some  learned  Doctors,  in  particuUr  Doctor  Middleton,  even 
after  a  diligent  examination  of  the  Libraries  at  Rome,  have 
doubted  whether  St.  Peter  ever  was  in  thai  imperial  city. 

j  ^ee  Spanheim's  Eccl.  Hist.  Cent.  1st— .Campbell's  Ecc.  Lect. 
— And  Pearson  on  the  Creed,  at  the  word  "Catholic" — where 
he  proves  by  the  testimony  of  both  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fathers, 
*'  That  the  term  **  Catholin,"  in  the  first  age  of  Christianity*  was 
wsed  in  different  senses  ;  but  exclusively  arrogated  to  itself  by 
no  oae  local  Church,  in  particular. 


35 

were,  as  we  find  them  in  the  "  New  Testament,*'  pui'Sj, 
simple  and  iincorrupted  by  the  inventions  of  men.  They 
were  such  as  they  had  learned  from  their  Divine  Muster. 
The  absurd  Heresies,  and  "  Traditions,*'  as  they  were 
afterwards  called,  and  some  of  which  have  been  already 
meiitioned,  were  not  known  even  by  name.  Clemens  at 
Rome,  and  Ignatius  Iraeneus  and  Polycarp,  Sec.  of  the  first 
Century,  would  have  manifested  much  more  zeal  against 
the  "  Traditions,  *  now  avowed  by  the  advocates  of  St. 
Mary's  8cc.  than  have  the  Presbytery  of  Baltimore.  If  St. 
Mary's  learned  Theologists  will  shew  us,  in  the  genuine 
Avorks  of  the  above  mentioned  Fathers,  where  Missa  or 
Mass;  or  Purgatory;  or  image  worship;  or  Corpus 
Christi  Processions,  are  sanctioned  ;  or  even  named,  then 
will  we  give  up  the  contest. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  second  Century,  the 
Church,  I  mean  the  Church  of  Christ  ;  but  not  more 
that  of  Rome,  than  that  of  Antioch,  Alexandria,  or  of 
Carthage  ;  for  each  of  those,  as  well  as  other  Churches 
had  their  respective  Pastors  or  Bishops,  without  dream- 
ing about  hierarchical  succession  ;*  I  say,  these  taken 
collectively,  as  the  Church  of  Christ,  wherever  and  how- 
ever situated,  as  to  local  or  worldly  situation,  continued 
to  persevere,  (the  aberrations  of  a  very  few  excepted)  in 
the  uncorrupted  simplicity  of  the  Gospel. 

The  title  Papa  or  Father,  and  now  Pope,  was  neither 
given  to;  nor  claimed  by,  any  individual  Presbyter,  Bish- 
op, or  Patriarch, more  than  another.  Cyprian,  Bishop  of 
Cartilage,  was  styled  Papa,  or  Pope,  as  well  as  the  Bish- 
op of  Rome.  And  at  Assemblies  or  Councils,  for  the 
promotion  of  the  general  interests  of  Christianity,  no  Pa-< 
pa,  or  Pope,  of  one  local  Church  had,  on  that  account, 
any  preference  to,  or  presidency  over  another ;  save 
what  was  assigned  him  by  free  and  independent  suffrage. 
The  various  persecutions  to  which  Christians  were  wan- 

*  See  Chancellor  King  on  the  primitive  ag-e  of  the  Church,  as 
to  Bishops, — succession,  &c. 


36 

tbnly  subjected,  Surhig  these  twoCeiituries,  together  with 
those  principles  of  simplicity,  and  unambitious  equality 
which  they  so  recently  derived  from  their  Divine  foun- 
der and  Author  checked,  ^11  that  worldly  pride,  and  thirst 
for  rank  and  distinction  which,  soon  after  this,  began  to 
make  their  appearance  ;  and  especially  at  Rome,  the  seat 
pf  imperial  pride  and  power. 

Throughout  the  third  Century,  though  many  continu- 
ed  steadfast  in  the  "  Faith  once  received,"  yet  the  ob- 
structions Avhich  Christianity  had  to  encounter,  as  well 
from  professed  friends  ;  as  from  avowed  enemies,  and 
persecutors,  tended  much  to  lead  many  astray  from  the 
true  principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  During  this  pe- 
riod though  the  Church  was  more  exempt  from  persecu- 
tion than  in  the  preceding  ages ;  yet  error  or  Heresy, 
both  in  principle  and  practice,  began  to  assume  a  more 
licentious  scope  and  ascendency.  Formerly,  the  success 
of  the  Gospel,  aiid  the  assemblies  or  congregations  of  Be.- 
lievers  were  held  forth,  and  spoken  of,  as  the  Churches,- 
all  under  one  equal  communion  upon  earth,  and  sub- 
ject only  to  their  Divine  Head  ;  their  risen  and  ascend- 
ed Lord.  But  now  metropolitan  pride  and  influence  first 
ventured  to  appear — The  Chair — the  edra^  the  Jirocdray 
and  the  Cathedra,  began  to  be  objects  of  Ambition — And, 
consequently,  to  introduce  all  those  jealousies,  rivalshipsj 
feuds  and  contentions,  which  too  soon  despoiled  the  pri- 
iTiitive  beauty  and  simplicity  of  the  Gospel  church. 

But  though  these  symptom^  of  approaching  depravity 
began  at  this  period,  to  shew  themselves  both  in  Doctrine 
and  in  external  rites  and  observances ;  yet  as  the  learn- 
ed Spanheim  informs  us,  the  vain  titles  of,  "  Patriarch, 
Arch-Bishop,  Exarch  and  Eparch,**  Catholic,  and  still 
less  of  Primate,  Cardinal,  Sec.  had  yet  no  existence  in  the 
Church  of  Christ.* 

*  ><»!;k  Umen  Palriaiclian  m,  Archf  pise -rum,  Exarcha- 
rum,  Epapch'*rum.  CahoHconini,  imo  ne  Primatuni  quiclem  mi-, 
HUB  Cufdiiiftlurn  in  trenuinis  Sciiptorlbus  liujus  zevi  Nomina. 

Spanheim.  Ecc. liijt. 


Indeed  it  must  be  obvious  to  every  impartial  examin- 
er into  the  History  of  the  first  ages  of  Christianity,  that, 
there  was  then  no  exclusive  assumption  of  Ecclesiastic 
power  or  authority  by  any  such  proud  dignitaries  as  have 
been  here  mentioned.  The  government  of  the  Christian 
Church,  where  it  continued  in  its  purity,  then  owned  no 
monarchical  principle.  The  free  suffrages  of  the  peo- 
ple, by  their  representatives,  were  then  uniformly  re- 
spected throughout  the  Eastern  as  well  as  the  Western 
Churches  or  Congregations.  It  is  also  obvious  that  so 
far  was  the  Church  at  Rome,  from  being  considered,  in 
any  respect,  superior  to  that  of  Antioch,  Alexandria,  or 
Carthage,  that  the  Eastern  Churches  were  considered  as 
by  far  the  most  learned  and  enlightened,  in  every  thing 
especially,  that  pertains  to  tlie  knowledge  of  the  "  Truth'* 
as  exhibited  in  the  Gospel. 

With  the  close,  however,  of  the  third  Century,  termi- 
nated any  thing  like  general  purity  of  Faith,  either  in 
principle  or  in  practice— And  so  far  is  it  from  being  true 
that  the  Reformation  and  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
have  most  tended  to  Schisms  and  Heresies,  as  St.  Mary's 
Theologists  piously  affirm  ;  that  on  the  contrary,  we  find 
these  began  to  abound  most  at  that  aera,  when  the 
Church  of  Christ  became  subjected  to  Temporal  as  well 
as  to  Papal  establishment.* 

The  Fourth  Century  is  therefore  the  iEra  from  which 
proceeded  the  most  prolific  source  of  all  that  which 
throughout  subsequent  ages,  down  even  to  the  present 
day,  overwhelmed  the  Christian  Church  with  strong  de- 
lusions, lies,  Legends,  and  Traditions,  in  room  of  the  dis- 
carded purity  and  simplicity  of  the  Gospel  of  Truth  and 
Righteousness. 

t  Under  Coxstantine  the  Great,  the   Union  of  civil 

*  In  proof  of  Uiis  read  the  account  given  us  by  all  the  Ecclesi^ 
astical  Historians  of  the  Sects  and  Errors,  which  arose  in  every 
sjcceedinf]^  Century, 

t  See  Ciinpbeirs  Lect.  p^ge  S4th  Phila,  Edltioiv 


38 

and  Religious  Power,  in  one  monstrous  /lead,  introduced ; 
and  still  maintains,  wherever  it  exists,  whether  you  caH 
it  Papistical  or  Protestant,  that  which  has  been,  and  from 
its  illegitimate  nature,  ever  must  be,  more  destructive 
to  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  to  all  civil  as  well  as  religi- 
ous liberty,  than  all  the  Bloody  persecutions  to  which 
the  faithful  liave  been  subjeeted  either  by  Pagan,  or  by 
Christian  Despots. 

It  is  true  that  the  dreadful  and  ruinous  effects  of  this 
monstrous  "  Man.  of  Sin,"  the  Union  of  Church  and  State, 
obtained  not  its  full  existence  and  operation  all  a,t  once. 
The  His.tory  of  its  Rise  and  Encrease,  would  fill  a  vo- 
lume ;  and  to  those  inclined  to  read  such  a  volume,  we 
urould  recommend  the  Ecclesiastical  Lectures  of  the  ce- 
lebrated Author  of  «  The  Philosophy  of  Rhetoric,"  Ev- 
er since  the  aera  of  that  tyrannical  union,  wherever  it  hath 
bee-n  established,  whether  by  Papal,  regal,  or  imperial 
|ure&umption>it  liath  trampled  on  all  rig4its,  sacred  and 
civil ;  and  hath  engendered  such  a  brood  of  Impostures, 
Inventions,  and  Deceits  for  the  enhancement  of  Ecclesi- 
al  power,  pride  and  pre-eminenoe,  that  tlie  worship  of 
tiie  Hindoo  exhibits  an  idolatry  not  much  more  irrati- 
onal or  even  antiscriptural,  than  that  of  some  who  call 
themselves  Christians. 

It  was  not  until  the  fourth  Century  that  the  ambition 
of  the  Church  at  Rome,  was  enabkd  to  rise  to  full  supre- 
jttacy  over  many  of  the  other  siat-er  Churches.  Flatter- 
ed with  having  at  length,  an  Emperor  who  had  embrac- 
ed Christianity,  Adulation  became  reciprocally  zealous 
between  him  and  the  Clergy.  Pomp  of  ceremony,,  with  all 
the  parade  of  Royal  and  I'mpei'ial  distinction,  to  please  the 
eye,  and  delight  the  car  of  eartldy  majesty,  must  no\y 
characterise  that  Religion  whose  Divina  spirit,  and  most 
distinguished  features  were  humility  and  condescension" 
Perfumed  Oil  and  Incense  ;  Painting  and  Statuary,  gau- 
dy vestments,  caps  and  mitres,  little  differing  even  in  ap- 


f)earance,  from  the  Pagan  decorations,  and  the  tyranny 
of  the  first  of  the  Caesars,  must  now  constitute  the  cere- 
monial rite  and  pontifical  Garb  of  a  Christian  Evangelist, 
under  the  proud  auspices  of  an  Emperor,  whom  they  al- 
so made  head  of  the  Church. 

What  ii  it  that  a  combination  of  such  power  would  not 
effect  when  the  object  was  that  of  tyrannismg  over  the 
whole  world,  both  civilly  and  Religiously  ?  A  faithful 
History  of  the  fourth  Century  shews  us,  indeed^  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Babel-Structure  of  Romish  Heresy  ;  yet  the 
usurper  had  not  yet  exercised  to  half  its  extent,  the  cor** 
rupting  influence  that  was,  from  time  to  time,  introduced 
throughout  the  dark  ages,  from  tlie  fourth  to  the  six- 
teenth Century. 

During  a  considerable  epoch,  the  Holy  Father  who  had 
swallowed  up  all  other  Holy  Fathers,  was  respectful  to 
the  Emperors  ;  and  if  at  any  time  an  attempt  was  made 
to  counteract  or  overawe  the  secular  power,  it  was  under 
the  pretext  of  the  Sacred  superiority  of  the  Church.  But 
in  process  of  time,  even  this  pretence  would  have  been 
a  mark  of  too  much  Humility  in  a  sovereign  Pontiff;  and 
the  Holy  Father  had  not  only  the  presumption  of  being 
styled  the  "  Vicegerent  of  the  Son  of  God,*'  but  also  of 
claiming  t^iat  which  Christ himselfnever  claimed,  the  pre- 
rogative of  setting  his  foot  on  the  neck  of  any  earthly  Po- 
tentate, who  dared  to  gainsay  his  Holy  will  and  pontifical 
pleasure  I  That  the  nations  of  the  European  world, 
dark  and  ignorant  as  it  then  was,  should  have  so  long  sunk 
under  such  abominable,  abject  and  impious  slavery,  is  at 
this  day  scarcely  credible — and  more  especially  when  the 
lives  and  profligate  and  vicious  characters  of  many  of 
these  "  Holy  Fathers''  are  taken  into  view.  No  honest, 
impartial  man  acquainted  with  History,  can  deny  these 
Facts.  And  if  so,  are  they  environed  with  such  a  robe 
of  inviolable  sanctity,  that  we  should  be  averse  to  hold 
them  out  as  a  Beacon,  not  only  to  the  present ;  but  to  all 


40 

succeeding  ages,  especklly  ^vheIl  any  Religious  light  we 
are  blessed  with,  seems  in  danger  of  being  invaded  by 
those  emanating  from  the  same  presumptuous  Viceger- 
ency?* 

We  are  sensible  that  the  enlightened  in  many  countries^ 
even  where  Papal  authority  still  prevails,  have  acknow- 
ledged ;  and  do  now  acknowledge,  the  profligacy  and  the 
inconsistency  of  many  of  those  who  have  filled  the  Pon- 
tifical chair.  We  know  also  that  many  Kings  and  Po- 
tentates, and  even  Bishops  subjected  to  their  authority, 
have  questioned  their  infallibility  ;  and  have  often  oblig- 
ed them  to  own  their  wickedness  and  their  usurpations. 
Yet  the  idol  who  assumes  the  place  and  prerogative  of 
Christ  stiil  prevails  ;  and  as  St.  Mary's  prophetical  The- 
plogists  inform  us,  will  continue  to  prevail  and  that  unto 
the  end.  Indeed  they  may  well  venture  this  prediction, 
wheii  even  those  who  profess  being  of  the  reformed 
Churches,  seem  to  think  that  the  advocates  of  his  Holi- 
ness alone  ought  to  have  any  Religious  zeal  ;  and  con- 
sider it  illiberal  or  indelicate  to  gainsay  their  insidious 
influence  and  encroachments. 

It  is  boasted  by  the  vindicators  of  St.  Mary*s  College, 

&c.  that  their  uniformity  under  one  head,  exhibits  a  claim 

to  superiority  over  the  reformed  Churches;  who  are  split 

into  so  many  sects  and  divisions,  as  they  insinuate,  from 

their  being  encouraged  to  read  the  Scriptures  of  Truth  1 

But  nothing  can  be  more  fallacious  or  incorrect.     1 1  is  an 

insult  off*ered  to  the  perfections  of  God,  of  which  his  word 

is  the  transcript,  to  suppose  that  it,  and  not   the  corrupt 

and  weak  and  benighted  passions  and  understandings  of 

men,  did  not  produce  those  diff*erent  shades  of  Religious 

opinion^ , ^ 

*  Should  it  be  supposed.by  any  that  what  is  here  observed  re- 
specting the  Roman  Pontificate,  is  in  too  harsh  terras  ;  we  would 
recommend  them  to  one  of  the  most  accomplished  scholars  of  the 
present  age — Doctor  Campbell,  in  his  account  of  Pope  Gregory 
the  First.    Lect.  ISih  page  240.  Phil,  Edition. 


4.1 


The  truth  is,  that  old  Mother  Church  Establishmehi 
has  been,  and  still  continues  to  be,  the  most  prolific  source 
of  Schisms,  Sects  and  Denominations.*  To  this  Truth 
let  the  impartial  history  of  Church  tyranny  bear  witness, 
as  well  under  Protestant  as  Papal  establishment.  There 
is  however,  no  age  of  the  Church  in  which  Heresies  and 
Schisms  did  not  abound — and  therefore  there  is  no  can- 
dour or  truth  in  the  insinuation,  that  these  owe  their  ori- 
gin to  the  reformation.  Throughout  the  whole  History 
of  tlie  Romish  Church,  we  often  find  the  Councils  against 
the  Popes,  and  the  Popes  against  the  Councils  , — That 
not  seldom  did  the  Pope  make  a  compliment  of  his  opi- 
nion and  his  principles  to  the  humour  of  the  secular  pow- 
er ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  as  often  opposed  it,  merely 
through  the  wantonness,  of  exhibiting  his  own  haughty  su- 
premacy. The  disputes,  altercations,  and  controversies 
that  existed  in  most  of  their  consistories  and  councils, 
shew  us  on  what  ground,  they  can  with  truth,  lay  claim 
to  an  exemption  from  schisms,  feuds  and  divisions  more 
than  tlie  Reformed  Churches.  Indeed,  so  far  is  there 
from  being  any  truth  in  that  arrogant  assumption,  that 
their  imperious  and  unyielding  disputes  with  the  Greek 
Papas,  or  Patriarchs,  produced  the  greatest  Schism  that 
ever  rent  the  Christian  Church ;  and  in  all  probability, 
tended  much  to  the  introduction  and  success  of  the  Re» 
iigion  of  Mahomet. 

It  is  true  that  their  despotical  engine,  infallibility, 
whether  deposited  in  a  Pope,aCouncil,t  or  in  the  Church? 

*  The  more  they  iriedto  force  uniformity,  says  an  eminent  wri- 
ter, the  faster  Hereticl<s  mukipUed — At  a  Covindl  held  at  Con- 
stantinople in  the  7th  Century,  they  had  to  unathemaiise  not  less 
than  thirty  nine  different  sects. 

See  Robinson's  Ecc.  Tracts. 

t  At  the  Council  of  Constance,  called  hy  some,  the  Senate  of 
Europe,  there  were  present  the  Emp'-ror  Si^ismnnfi,  a  crowd  of 
Prelates,  98  great  vassals  of  the  Empire,  4  Electors,  2  Dukes, 
27  Ambassadors  from  the  different  C  iirts  in  Europ;  ;  Secreta- 
ries and  Clerks  without  number — 1600  Ba:  bers.  800  Tavern  kee- 
pers ,  505  Musicians  ;  1500  ^trump^ts,  aid  346  P'  y;-  ttjxs  and 
Jugglers — And  all  this  for  the  hoiy  purpose  of  committing  to  the 

F 


42 

linder  an  Ecclesiastical  Monarch,  to  whom  all  own  hom- 
age and  fealty,  serves  to  keep  up  a  kind  of  Ecclesial  uni- 
formity of  empire  and  spiritual  influence  over  the  minds 
of  all  m  every  part  of  the  world,  disposed  to  bow  before 
its  Imperial  shrine.  But  it  is  well  known  that  all  its  wor« 
shippers,  do  not,  uniformly,  think  alike  more  than  Pro- 
testant Reformers  ;  even  with  respect  to  their  own  pe- 
culiar tenets.  And  when  to  this  consideration,  we  add 
that  of  their  various  monastic  orders,  male  and  female- 
Jesuits,  Jansenists,  Benedictines  ;  Dominicans,  Francis- 
cans, Cistercians,  Carthusians,  Carmelites  and  Mendi- 
cants, Sec.  8cc.  What  comes  of  their  so  much  boasted  of 
superiority  over  the  reformed  Churches,  even  in  this  re- 
spect ? 

Besides,  we  question  even  the  uniformity  of  their  prac- 
tice, in  all  parts  of  the  world  alike,  where  their  Religion 
is  professed.  Penance,  confessions,  and  Indulgences 
&c.  it  is  certain,  assume  a  very  different  aspect  in  this 
land  of  civil  and  Religious  Liberty,  from  what  they  do  in 
countries  where  the  people  are  more  enslaved ;  and  in 
the  habit  of  groaning  under  civil  as  well  as  Religious 
bondage  and  oppression  ;  and  are  consequently,  better 
fitted  forbearing  with  the  slavish  penances  of  the  Church. 

Has  any  person,  in  these  states  ever  seen  poor  wretch- 
ed penitentials,  such  at  least,  as  to  outward  appearance, 
on  their  knees,  moving  along  in  troops,  in  that  posture, 
and  doing  penance  over  sand  and  gravel,  until  the  blood 
from  their  knees  would  sometimes  mark  their  path  ?— . 
But  if  all  this  would  tend  to  purify  the  soul,  it  might  be 
well  enough  ;  the  fact,  however,  is  that  whatever  the  opi- 
nion of  the  Church  may  be,  these  wretched  slaves  are 
ltd  to  suppose,  that  by  these  penances,  or  sufferings,  they 
have  atoned  for  the  past ;  and  that  whatever  tresspasses 

flames  two  poor  men,  John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  for  speak- 
ing and  preaching  agreeably  to  their  consciences,  in  opposition  to 
?,he  Pope  !  ! 
See  Robinson's  Tracts,  and  M'CuUoch's  Refutation- 


43 

may  occur  afterwarcis,  they  can  atone  for  them  all  in  the 
same  way.  Hence  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  observe 
them  previous  to  the  lapse  of  one  day  after  this  misera- 
ble laceration  of  the  body,  returning,  as,  "  tlie  Uog  to 
his  vomit,"  to  their  former  vicious  habits. 

Such  scenes  however,  are  not  to  be  exhibited  in  this 
country.  The  knees  of  freemen  are  not  so  pliable.  Uni* 
formity  of  system  is  here  obliged  to  yield  a  little,  and  a 
Catholic  Freeman  of  the  United  States,  whateter  be  his 
vices,  gets  easier  off  than  the  poor  Catholic  of  Ireland,  of 
Portugal,  or  of  Spain.  "  Thrice  happy  civil  Freedom  I 
«'  Even  superstitious  Imposture,  and  the  Despots  who 
**  exercise  it ;  are  obliged  to  yield  and  pay  some  homage 
"  to  thy  hallowed  sway."* 

The  History  of  the  Romish  Church,  since  the  days  of 
Constantino,  in  as  far  as  its  Ecclesial  Government  is  con- 
cerned, through  a  long  succession  of  ages,  exhibits  only 
a  continued  series  of  tyranny  and  usurpation.  Its  Ad- 
vocates pretend,  that  their  great  apostolic  head  claims 
the  right  of  Divinely  directed  succession  from  St.  Pe- 
ter ;  and  yet  Seventy  Cardinals  meet,  and  sit  in  conclave 
to  elect  him  ;  and  have  often  to  ballot  several  times  be- 
fore the  Holy  Ghost,  directs  them  to  the  right  Heir  If 
Nay,  it  has  even  happened,  that  although  they  boast  of 
this  Divinely  infallible  direction  to  the  proper  object  of 
their  choice,  that  they  have  been  so  divided,  as  to  have 

*  Of  late  years  there  hath  been  an  encreased  and  encreasing 
feelingof  humanity  throughout  the  enlightened  parts  of  the  Chiis- 
tian  world,  in  behalf  of  those  of  the  human  race  who  are  held  in 
unjust  and  perpetual  slavery.  This  tiispositiom  has  much  melior- 
ated the  condition  of  those  held  in  such  bondage — but  there  is  a 
Spiritual  bondage,  a  yoke  of  superstitious  slavery,  very  different 
from  the  dictates  or  the  duties  of  true  Religion;  under  which 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  groan  without  -exciting  much 
sympathy  or  regard  ! 

t  Doct.  Campbell  informs  us  that  in  electing  the  Popes,  they 
give  their  votes  by  ballot.  And  if  upon  scrutiny,  no  one  of  the  Can- 
didates has  two  thirds  of  the  votes,  the  balloting  must,  after  a 
stated  interval,  be  repeated.  And  this  continues,  if  they  should 
remain  shut  up  for  years,  till  oqs  attains  the  superiority. 


44 

two  or  three  Popes  at  the  same  time  ;  each  of  these 
boasting  himself,  the  true  and  legitimate  successor  of  St. 
peter  I 

The  pomp,  splendor  and  imperial  ceremony  where- 
with that  spiritual  sovereign  is  introduced  to  his  high 
office,  forms  a  curious  contrast  with  the  humility,  and 
condescension  of  the  Son  of  God,  whom  he,  iinfiiously^ 
presumes  to  represent.  Instead  of  forming  a  pattern  or 
example  of  his  blessed,  meek,  and  lowly  conduct  upon 
earth,  it  exhibits  the  most  detestable  pride  and  arrogance, 
of  which  even  regal  pomp  and  Despotism  are  capable.* 

Did  all  this  art'ogance  and  pride  consist  in  mere  exter- 
nal shew  and  ostentation,  it  might  have  been  happy  for 
the  Christian  world.  But  when  along  with  this  we  view 
the  servile  spint,  slavish  principles,  and  abject  degrada- 
tion to  vv'hich  that  presumptuous  combination  of  civil  and 
Religious  despotism  had  reduced  the  fairest  portion  of 
the  civilised  world  ;  it  is  no  exaggeration  of  the  Truth 
to  say,  that  the  lineal  succession  of  no  race  of  regal  ty- 
rants in  Europe,  exhibits  a  more  abhorrent  picture  of  op- 
pression, blood-stiiined  cruelty  and  ambition,  than  is  th.at 
of  these  vicegerents  of  Christ,  through  the  long  Histo- 
ry  of  fifteen  Centuries.     If  "  t^iderot,"  who  they  say 

*Tlie  s.^me  excellent  :mthor  h;.s  priven  us  a  long-  detail  of  the 
Consecration  and  Coronation  of  tlie  Pope  from  Cardinal  Rasponi's 
Book  on  tliat  subjec;t  and  Lenfuiiit's  History  ofthe  Council  of  Con- 
stance — which  concludes  thus.  On  leaving-  t!ie  Church,  **  The 
Pope  mounted  his  white  Horse,  preceded  by  three  led  white  Her- 
ses  with  Red  Caparisons— rcxt  followed  the  infeiior  Cltrgy  on 
tool— then  the  abbots,  Bishops  and  Arch-Bishops  and  Cardinals 
on  Horseback.  The  Emperor  on  foot,  walking-  ia  "the  dirt,  held 
tl'.e  rrins  ofthe  P  pe's  bridle,  on  the  right  hand— the  Elector  of 
I?-adenburgh,  on  the  left. "~  How  far  fvomht'in^  alamode  Napo- 
leon I 

t  Diderot  and  V.  Knox  and  S,  Johnson  are  introduced  rs  the 
liber, d  Advocat-s  of  pompous  processions  and  ostentatious  forms 
in  Rtlij:ion,  We  :ill  know  that  men  can  be  learned  snd  great  and 
illustrious  in  some  respects  ;  and  old  wonnen  in  others.  When 
we  see  such  writers  as  V.  Knox  and  Poet.  Johnson  advocating 
three-tailed  wigs,  and  formal  cos  umes,  in  order  to  impress  even 
the  liumblest  of  an  enli^^htened  !\ation  with  ReUgious  or  Moral 
sentiments,  can  there  be  a  more  evident  proof  of  the  truth  of  this 
observation  ? 


45 

was  so  fond  of  painting  the  pompous  processions  and  os- 
tentatious parade  of  these  spiritual  majesties,  had  em- 
ployed his  pencil  on  those  scenes  of  bloodshed  and  in- 
humanity which  they  not  seldom  occasioned,  It  might 
have  afforded  equal  scope  to  his  genius ;  and  have  said 
much  more  for  his  heart,  in  the  cause  of  enslaved  and  de- 
graded humanity  and  Religion. 

When   the  Pontifical   Idol   of  the  enslaved  Christian 
world  had  established  his  empire  over  the  Western  na- 
tions ;  and   had  brought    Emperors,  Kings,   Potentates 
and  Princes  to  kiss  his  toes  or  his   feet,  what  despotical 
usages,  Doctrines,  and  Ceremonies,  did  he  not  introduce 
and  impose  on  the  dark^nd  uninstructed  minds  of  men  ? 
Absolutions,  Penances,  and  Indulgences  !     Yes — Indul- 
gences for  the  commission  of  crimes,  the  most  disgrace- 
ful to  humanity,  were  bought  and  sold,  like  any  other  spe- 
cies of  traffic  ;  and  became  one  of  the  mostlucrative  sour- 
ces of  papal  revenue  !    Archbishop  Seeker  informs  us, 
that  he  had  in  his  possession,  one  of  those  indulgences 
obtained  for  a  little  money  at  the  Pontiff's  office  in  Rome, 
which  was  to  be  effectual  for  two  or  three  generations  ! 
A  pontifical  warrant    for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  before 
the  persons  who  were  to  commit  them  were  in  existence, 
or  a  sort  of  family-diploma  for  transgressing  the  laws  of 
God  !* 

It  need  scarcely  be  observed  that  this  horrid  ;  this  blas- 
phemous traffic,  the  enormity  of  which  no  language  can 
depict,  occasioned  the  Lutheran  Reformation  ;  and,  at 
length,  tended  to  open  the  long  benighted  eyes  of  enslav- 
ed humanity.  We  trust,  that  in  the  present  enlightened 
age,  there  are  very  many,  even  of  that  Church,  who  would 
disavow  such  a  Doctrine  ;  yet  there  can  be  no  illiberali- 
ty  in  its  introduction  here,  since  we  find  that  St.  Mnry's 
vindicators  hesitate  not  to  decry  the  consequences  of 
that  ever  fkemorable  reformation. 

*  See  Archbishop  Seeker's  Sermons. 


4i5 

But  should  it  be  replied,  that  the  sovereign  pontiff  of 
the  present  day,  is  veiy  different,  both  in  character,  and 
in  his  administration,  from  those  who,  presided  over  the 
Church  at,  or  previous  to  the  reformation  ;  and  there- 
fore, that  all  censure  on  what  is  past,  or  animadversion 
on  the  present  state  of  doctrine  and  discipline  in  that 
Church  are  illiberal,  unnecessary,  and  inapplicable  to  tho 
present  times.^ — It  is  presumed  that  the  vindicators 
themselves  would  not  admit  tlie  truth  of  this  apology — . 
We  believe  tliey  would  not  assent  to  any  dereliction  of 
any  Doctrines  or  Traditions  avowed  even  in  the  dai'kest 
days.  The  uncontrolled  p.onver  of  the  Pontiff  they  still 
advocate ;  and  were  they  candid,  would  acknowledge  that 
they  would  wish  to  see  him  restored  to  all  the  temporal 
tyranny  that  any  of  his  predecessors  ever  exercised  over 
any  of  the  Princes,  or  nations  of  Europe — And  though 
they  now  avow  themselves  to  be  Republican  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  it  is  presumed,  would  have  no  objec- 
tion to  see  our  Chief  magistrate  kissing  his  Holiness's> 
great  toe. 

The  present  Emperor  of  the  French  is  not  more  op- 
posed to  the  temporal  prerogatives  of  the  Holy  Father, 
or  Papa,  than  were  Several  of  the  preceding  monarchs— . 
The  European  world  is  now  more  emancipated  than  for- 
merly from  the  pontifical  despotism  of  Rome,  and  this 
consequently,  has  hitherto  given  success  to  Napoleon's 
policy  as  to  that  power. 

But  this  is  no  new  policy  even  in  France — witness  the 
bold  and  zealous  opposition  to  that  despotism  given  by 
the  bishop  of  Paris,  and  by  Ferrier  tlie  King's  Ambassa- 
dor, at  the  Council  of  Trent.* 

*  If,  said  Ferrier,  in  his  speech  in  the  Council  of  Trent.  France 
is  not  in  peace,  no  other  answer  can  be  given  than  that  which  Je- 
hu gave  to  Jorara,  "  what  peace  can  there  be  so  long  as" — Here 
he  stopped — and  after  pausing  a  little,  added, — •'  You  know  the 
rest." — which  according  to  2d  Kings  IX,  22d  ver"c  is—"  The 
whoredoras  of  thy  mother  Jezebel,  and  her  witchcrafts  are  so  ma- 


47 

Yet  even  in  these  Republican  States,  the  Pontiff's  Bi- 
shops ;  Bishops,  too,  who  profess  being  Republicans,  are 
greatly  incensed  that  their  Holy  Papa  is  restricted  by  Na- 
poleon, to  the  offices  of  Religion,  and  the  Ecclesial  ser- 
vice  of  their  Church  !  At  least,  should  the  letter  which 
lately  appeared  in  one  of  our  public  prints,  addressed  by 
them  to  the  Titular  Bishops  of  that  Church  in  Ireland  be 
genuine,  it  must  justify  such  an  inference  or  conclusion.* 

That  letter  and  correspondence  may  serve  to  shew  us 
with  what  zeal,  and  to  what  extent  his  Holiness  can  make 
Bishops  ;  even  in  this  Republican  land — and  at  same  time 
with  what  fealty,  fidelity  and  homage  they,  in  turn,  can 
reciprocate  the  favour  from  every  quarter  of  tlie  Globe  ; 
and  thus  promote  his  Civil  as  well  as  Sacred  influence 
over  their  boasted  millions.  Hence  it  is  obvious  that 
they  still  wish  to  see  the  sovereign  Pontiffrestored  to  all 
his  former  regal  honours  and  prerogative  among  the  na- 
tions ;  as  will  as  to  his  Sacerdotal  or  Pontifical.  Indeed 
their  own  Episcopal  investiture  implies   the  exercise  of 

such  an  union  of  temporal  as  well  as  Spiritual  power 

Otherwise,  why  have  their  Titles  a  designation  of /oca/ 
supremacy  over  other  Religious  Denominations  ?  Can 
the  exercise  of  any  civil  power,  by  any  potentate  on  Eartli, 
be  more  presumptuous  than  that  of  a  High  Priest  at 
Rome,  investing  any  of  his  Clergy  with  a  local,  titular 
supremacy  over  any  city,  state  or  territory,  he  thinks  pro- 
per, in  these  states  ? 


ny  intimating  in  terms  that  could  not  be  misunderstood  by  the 
Fathers  in  the  Council,  that  Mother  Church's  whoredoms,  like 
mother  Jezebel's  were  the  cause  of  the  Civil  Wars  that  then  ra- 
ged in  France  between  the  Romanists  and  Protestants.  Coald 
^n  Envoy  of  Napoleon's  have  been  more  bold  and  courageous  ia 
auch  ft  council  ? 

*  Previous  to  a  sight  of  that  letter  the  writer  of  this  Defence 
could  see  no  justifiable  cause  whatever,  for  the  government  of  Bi  i. 
tain,  insisting  on  having  a  Veto  on  the  appointment  of  Irish  Bish- 
ops  by  the  Pope.  He  acknowledges  that  he  had  no  adequate 
conception  of  the  length  and  strength  of  the  massy  chain  of  Epis- 
copal Priest-craft  and  Tyranny,  under  the  influence  of  a  spiritual 
monarchy,  that  grasps  at  the  circumference  of  the  Globe. 


48 

The  vindicators  affect  to  sneer  at  the  Presbytery  for 
assuming  the  designation  of  "  Bishofis^*  as  if  it  had  been 
done  through  pride  or  ostentation — and  not,  as  it  evi- 
dently was,  to  shew  their  well  founded  opinion  or  belief, 
that  Bishop  and  Presbyter  are  Synonymous  terms;*  that 
they  were  used  as  such  by  the  Apostles  ;  and  consequent- 
ly, that  all  who  adopt  the  former  for  the  vain  purpose  of 
pride  or  supremacy  have,  in  so  far,  erred  from  Apostolic 
practice. 

With  similar  justice  they  may  vindicate  their  Titular, 
Metropolitan  supremacy,  from  the  Presbytery's  adopting 
the  designation  of,  "The  Presbytery  of  Baltimore.*'  But 
every  one  knows  that  this  is  merely,  for  designation's 
sake  ;  and  that  the  Presbytery's  Principle  is,  not  only  an 
equality  between  themselves,  but  with  other  denomina- 
tions :  whereas  their  principle  is  the  very  reverse.  It  is 
a  monarchical  principle — A  titular  Supremacy,  and  a  lo- 
cal Diocesan  prelacy,  in  no  respect  congenial  with  tlie 
spirit  of  the  constitution  of  these  States. 

If  our  National  Constitution  hath  wisely  rejected  titles, 
from  the  prmciple,  that  no  citizen  has  a  right  to  as- 
sume any  local  influence  or  prerogative  over  his  neigh- 
bour, derogatory  to  equal  rights  ;  is  not  such  a  title  in  the 
Church,  when  assumed  as  Metropolitan,  or  local,  equally 
as  Unjust ;  and  as  much  a  violation  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Constitution,  as  a  temporal  or  civil  title  I 

If  so,  why  has  any  foreign  absolute  Monarch  or  Des- 
pot the  presumption  to  style  or  designate,  locally  any  ci- 
tizen of  these  states,  either  a  spiritual  or  temporal  Lord 
or  superior  over  others  ?  Or,  with  what  truth  or  propriety, 
can  the  Priest  or  Parson  of  any  one  particular  sector  de- 
nomination, be  styled  the  Bishop  or  ArchBishop  ofBos- 

*   S-e    EJviidi   Didoclavii  Opera — •'  Episcopus    et  Presbyter 
ejusdem  oidinis  ac  gradiis"--As  also  Chancellor  King's  Tre« 
tise  on  that  subject. 


49 

ton,  New-York,  Philadelphia,  or  Baltimore  ;  so  as  to  be 
recognised  as  such  in  Foreign  countries  ? 

What  though  other  Denominations  through  supineness, 
inadvertency,  or  contempt,  tacitly,  acquiesce  with  all  this; 
it  is  no  proof  of  its  justice  ;  or  its  having  any  claim  to  a 
regard  for  truth  or  reality — especially  in  the  sense  it  is 
held  by  those  on  whom  it  is  conferred,  n'hich  is  that  of 
prelatic  supremacy.  In  a  land  where  Religious  as  well 
as  civil  equality  of  right,  is  guaranteed  unto  all  by  the 
Constitution,  Metropolitan  supremacy,  even  by  title,  must 
be  inimical  to  this  right — And  more  especially  where 
such  titles  or  diocesan  distinctions,  are  conferred  at  the 
whim  or  caprice  of  any  Foreign  power,  whether  civil  or 
Ecclesiastic.  It  is  the  bold  assumption  of  the  same  spi- 
rit of  pride  and  pre-eminence,  by  which,  in  the  primitive 
ages,  Rome  encroached  upon  all  other  Churches  in  the 
East  and  in  the  West ;  until  she  engulphed  the  whole  in 
one  imperial  vortex.  Ere  long  we  shall  have  one  of  those 
papal  vicegerents  in  the  metropolis  of  every  state  of  the 
union  ;  and  if  we  may  accredit  the  St.  Dominic  vindica- 
tors of  this  order  of  aifairs,  all  perfectly  in  unison  with 
our  pure  Republican  principles  ! 

Perhaps  there  is  no  subject  or  work  of  that  nature,  that 
could  be  more  interesting  to  the  Community,  than  a  faith- 
ful investigation  of  the  effects  of  a  monarchical  system  of 
Church  Government  on  such  a  happy  Constitution  of 
Civil  Affairs  as  that  which  we  now  enjoy.*  It  would  not, 
however,  be  just  to  confine  such  an  enquiry  to  the  mon- 
archy of  the  Church  of  Rome.  Every  National  Church 
which  has  for  its  Head  the  illegitimate  combination  of 
Civil  and  Ecclesial  power,  is  in  much  the  same  predica- 
.ment  with  that  in  which  the  vassals  of  Rome  have  been  ; 
and  in  spirit  and  inclination,  still  continue  to  be  ;  and 
must,  consequently,  be  equally  favourable  to  Tyranny  and 

*  Mons.  C.  Villers's  Dessert^tion  on  the  effei  ts  ofLuiHEu's 
reformation  on  the  pollticsl  state  of  Europe,  comes  the  r.earest  to 
such  a  wurk  of  any  thing  known  to  the  writer. 

G 


50 

Oppression.     Its  influence  on  Civil  and  Religious  Liber 
ty  has  been,  and  from  its  very  nature  and  tendency,  ever 
must  be,  under  every  system  of  Faith,  subversive  of  the 
rights  of  a  free  state  or  society. 

As  nothing  appears  to  have  greater  influence  over  hu- 
man nature  than  sympathy,  in  all  its  diversified  applica- 
tion and  effects  ;  it  must  hence  follow  that  the  opmions, 
principles  and  systems  of  men  must  be,  more  or  less,  in- 
fluenced by  that  sympathetic  analogy  which  exists  be- 
lAveen  civil  and  Ecclesiastic  power  and  government.  Let 
the  human  mind  be  once  habituated  to  consider  even  the 
most  justly  honoured  or  dignified  individual  in  the  com- 
munity, the  depositary  of  all  Spiritual  or  Ecclesiastic  povv- 
■er ;  and  he  can  no  longer  feel  any  abhorrence  at  seeing 
him  invested  also,  with  the  most  absolute,  or  arbitrary 
civil  power. 

This  is  one  of  those  long  indulged  and  exercised  He- 
resies or  Errors  of  the  Roman  Church,  from  which  most 
!t*rotestant  nations  and  Churches  are  not  yet  reformed, 
"And  it  is  owing  chiefly  to  their  slavish  devotion  to  this 
despotic  Heresy,  that  even  the  Reformers  and  the  Re- 
formation have  been  subjected  to  the  recriminations,  in 
this  respect,  of  the  vindicators  of  Papal  tyranny  ;  as  well 
as  to  the  obloquy  of  all  the  advocates  and  adulators  of  «c- 
cred  monarchy  in  the  regal  heads  of  the  Church. 

It  is  the  glory  as  mcU  as  the  happy  privilege  of  the 
United  Sta  tes,  that  their  National  charter  hath  anr 
nihilatcd,  in  as  far  as  it  regards  them,  we  trust  forever, 
that  abominable  Heresy,  with  all  its  enslaving  and  into- 
lerant effects.  Our  only  danger,  and  agamst  which  we 
Can  never  be  too  zealous,  is  lest  its  corrupt  and  corrup- 
ting advocates,  under  the  pretext  of  Religious   Liberty 

*  In  the  accouiU  which  D.-.  G.  Grei^ory  of  Ensfland,  in  his 
Ecclesiaslicul  history,  has  given  of  the  state  ofReliji^ion  in  North 
Americ:'.,  though  upon  the  whole  an  innpartiul  Historian,  he  does 
not  appear  to  liave  beca  well  irformed  as  to  the  true  state  of  Re- 
ligion in  tills  country  ;  otherwise  he  would  not  have  imputed  its 
declim-  in  any  particular  states,  to  the  want  of  some  kind  of  churoh 
establishment. 


51 

:-,hou\dy insidiously,  undermine  those  principlcswhich  pio;- 
diicecl  so  glorious  an  cmuncipaUon  ;  riOt  only  from  Rom- 
ish ;  but  also  fiom  Protestant  Ecclesial  despotism. 

It  is  one  oF  the  happy  features  of  the  truly  Protestant 
or  Reformed  Religion,  in  as  far  at  least  as  Church  go- 
vernment is  concerned,  occasionally,  to  ej^amine  into,  or 
review  its  own  state  and  principles ;  and  should  errorsor 
aberrations  have  taken  place;  or  duties  have :been  ne-* 
glected,  not  only  frankly  to  acknowledge  them  ;  but  also 
to  endeavour  for  tlieir  reformation.  Instead  of  consider-r 
ing  this,  as  the  subjects  of  the  Roman  Pontiff  seem  to 
do,  a  spirit  of  Anarchy  or  of  schism  ;  they  view  it  in  the 
light  of  sacred  duty ;  and  as  following  the  example  of 
those  who  first  departed  from  the  arbitrary  and  cruel  op- 
pression of  Pagan  delusion. 

But  the  zealous  devotees  to  the  Government  of  Eccle- 
sial Rome,  view  all  its  system  and  order  as  purely  sacred 
and  Divme.  In  its  ceremonies,  doctrines.,  mysteries,  and 
traditions,  as  one  pure,  perfect,  and  unimpeachable  esta- 
blishment; one  pinnacle  of  the  proud  fabric  of  which,  it 
would  be  blasphemy  or  sacrilege  to  suspect ;  or  to  seek 
to  alter,  change  or  amend.  They  view  it  as  reared  and 
cemented  ;  guarded  and  defended,  by  a  divine  succession 
of  supreme  vicegerency,  and  therefore,  infallible  I  Not 
so,  however,  is  it  with  the  reformed,  and  we  hope  reform- 
ing Churches,  in  all  that  regards  that  thraldom  in  which 
ipany  of  them  have  been  held  by  human  power  and  au*ho. 
Fity.  Especially  in  this  land  of  Civil  and  Religious  Li- 
berty, that  light  and  knowledge  which  they  trust  they 
have  received,  not  from  the  Roman  Pontiff;  nor  from 
any  other  monarchical,  spiritual  usurper,  who  may  have 
impiously  assumed  similar  power  ;  but  from  Him,  who 
is  alone  King  and  Head  of  his  Church  ;  and  who  hath 
never  authorised,  nor  sanctioned  a  deputy  Governor — 
even  that  blessed  Light  which  they  have  derived  from  his 


52 

Gospel,  disposes  them  to  own  their  luibility  to  error,  both 
in  principle  and  in  practice — that  it  is  their  duty  to  try 
and  examine  their  ow7i  religious  Fiiith  ;  as  well  as  that 
of  others— "  To  search  the  Scriptures" — And  above  all,  to 
*'  call  no  man  on  earth  Master,"  seeing  they  have  one  in 
Heaven  who  has  revealed  unto  them  all  righteousness^ 

The  free  exercise  of  these  commands  of  Christ  him- 
self, they  consider  not  with  the  devotee  to  Rome,  the 
prolific  source  of  all  the  various  Religious  systems,  sects 
and  denominations,  that  have  arisen  among  themselves; 
or  in  the  Romish  Church,  from  age  to  age.  On  the  con- 
trary, even  in  Protestant  commonwealths  or  Nations,  they 
believe,  that  the  leading  cause  of  these,  as  has  already 
been  urged,  will  be  found  in  the  exercise  or  administra- 
tion of  the  power  assumed  by  the  impious  combination 
of  civil  and  Ecclesiastic  tyranny  in  one  individual  head- 
Some  shades  of  diversity  of  opinion  might,  it  is  acknow- 
ledged, have  arisen  under  any  system  Even  the  ministry 
of  the  Apostles  themselves  was  not  altogether  exempt 
from  these.  But  it  was  not  until  wordly  pride,  and  pow- 
er, and  interest,  with  all  their  concomitant  passions,  had 
made  their  way  into  the  hearts  of  Christians,  that  any  se- 
rious schism  or  division  took  place  in  the  Church. 

In  England^  it  is  obvious,  that  it  has  been  owing  to 
the  tyranny  with  which  that  combination  of  power  in  the 
INIonarch,  was  exercised,  together  with  the  admission  of 
the  spiritul  aristocracy  to  a  participation  in  the  National 
Councils,  that  introduced  so  much  schism,  pcrseculion 
and  bloodshed,  even  since  the  Reformation — And  which 
still  continues  to  foster  so  many  dissentients. 

Even  in  Scotland  ;  the  seat  of  Pi'csbytcrianism  ;  and 
where  the  blessed  light  of  the  reformation  obtained  a 
more  general  influence  than  in  any  other  nation  ;  and  the 
enlightening  fruits  of  which  its  inhabitants  enjoy,  in  pro- 
poruonabic  felicity  to  this  day,  the  admission  of  temporal 


53 

interests,  powers,  and  prerogatives  into  their  Ecclesias- 
tic system,  has  been  productive  of  similar  divisions.  To 
their  system  of  heritorial  patronage  ;  and,  since  their  uni- 
on with  England,  their  admitting  the  vicegereney  of  Roy- 
al Majesty  to  preside  in  the  annual  General  Assembly  of 
the  Church,  they  have  to  ascribe  effects  similar,  in  their 
corrupting  and  discordant  tendency,  to  those  that  have 
arisen  in  their  sister  Church. 

In  Ireland,  the  schisms  and  corruptions,  by  means  of 
their  late  Regium  Donum,  or  Royal  bounty  and  interfer- 
ence, are  still  more  evident  even  among  the  reformed. — 
And  notwithstanding  the  long  established  tyranny  under 
v»hich  a  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  doubly  enslavr 
ed  country  still  groan,  to  the  See  of  Rome,  and  at  same 
time,  to  a  Protestant  See  ;  how  many  even  of  that  Church 
has  not  the  combination  of  civil  and  Ecclcsial  power,  in 
one  head,  made  hypocrites  ;  and  for  sake  of  places  and 
pensions,  nominal  professors  of  Protestantism  ;  while  in 
heart  and  attiichment,  they  still  continued  devotees  to  the 
Romish  Church  and  Hierarchy  ? 

Will  Catholics  themselves  deny  these  Facts  ?  And  if 
they  can  not  ;  should  it  not  open  their  eyes  to  what  has 
been  done  by  imperial  Rome,  throughout  the  lapse  of  so 
many  centuries,  when  she  was  left  in  the  uncontrolled 
exercise  of  the  most  absolute  and  intolerant  authority 
and  despotism  over  the  then  enslaved  and  unenlight- 
ened nations  of  Europe  ? 

In  these  stiites,  and  particularly  in  Maryland,  surely 
our  Catholic  Fellow  Citizens  have  both  seen  and  felt  the 
precious  fruits  of  a  combination  of  this  power,  under  one 
licad.  Did  they  approve  of  this  head  j  or  its  ecclesial 
usurpations? — If  not,  why  should  ihey  think  it  illiberal 
that  we  arfe  equally  opposed  to  every  such  impious  pow- 
er or  head  ;  whether  the  usurper  reside  at  Rome  ;  or  at 
Constantinople  ;  at  London  or  at  Paris  ?  Leaving  out 
of  view  all  the  light,  on  this  subject,  which   we  derive 


54 

from  the  doctrine  and  example  of  Christ  himself ;  do  not 
reason  and  common  sense  revolt  at  the  idea  of  our  being 
disqualified  for  a  faithful  adherence  to  the  principles  of 
Christianity,  without  paying  homage  to  a  mortal  like  our- 
selves, at  the  distance  of  three  or  four  thousand  miles  ? 

To  suppose  that  a  congregation,  professing  Christi- 
anity, could  not  have  a  Pastor  qualified  and  ordained  to 
administer  in  Holy  things,  without  an  appointment,  or 
sanction,  necessarily  derived  from  a  partner  in  sin  and 
mortality,  removed  to  such  a  distance  ;  seems  to  imply 
a  disbelief  in  the  omnipresence  of  God  ;  and  to  be  in  di^ 
rect  opposition  to  any  thing  like  Faith  in  him-  who  with- 
out personal,  local,  or  national  partiality,  promised  to  be 
\nth  those  who  ministered  to  Him  and  his  Gospel ;  "and 
that  to  the  end  of  the  v/orld.'* 

To  what  miserable  oppression  and  tyranny  have  pro- 
fessing Christians,  of  all  Churches,  submitted  by  their 
want  of  Faith  in  this  gracious  promise  ;  and  by  trusting  to 
some  usurped  power  in  its  stead,  either  regal  or  pontifi- 
cal ;  or  both  combined  ?  Previous  to  the  reformation — ■ 
The  revenues  which  the  Pope  drew  out  of  England  alone 
are  truly  astonishing.  Even  the  sums  v/hich  he  receiv- 
ed for  dispensations,  from  such  of  the  Clergy  as  held  plu- 
ralities were  immense.  The  conquest  of  Britain  by  the 
Pagan  Romans,  by  any  tributes  they  were  accustomed  to 
iuipose  on  their  subjugated  provinces,  could  not  have 
Avrestcd  from  them  heavier  contributions,  than  those 
Y.hich  were  exacted  of  that  country  by  the  sovereign  Pon- 

tirr. 

These  dispensations  were  granted  to  the  Clergy  in 
England,  at  a  price  rated,  ad  valorem  ;  or  in  proportion 
to  the  emolument  of  each  living,  or  parochial  charge 
from  which  they  derived  an  emolument. 

1st.  Dis/iensations^  &d  v^loi-erci)   on  those    worth  /500, 
2d.  ditto,  ad  valorem,  on  those  at  /lOOO. 


55 

3d.  ditto,  on  those  to  be  held,  sine  ulla  restrictione,  i. 
e.  v/ithout  any  restriction  by  his  Holiness. 

4th.  ditto,  ad  quaecunqiie  et  quotcunque  Bcnciicia  in- 
xompatabilia,  i.  e.  for  any  kind  or  qnantity  of  Bcneiices, 
for  which  it  was  incompatible  with  the  purchaser,  to  ren- 
der any  adequate  service  to  the  people  I* 

Happy  had  it  been  for  England,  had  her  reformers  ut- 
terly erazed  every  vestige  of  that  infamous  system  of  Pa- 
pal imposition.  It  is  true,  that  from  Doctor  Johnson, 
and  every  other  sycophant  of  arbitrary  power,  in  Church 
and  State  combined,  they  might  have  received  the 
epithet  of  "  The  Ruffians  of  the  Reformation  f'  but  the 
various  oppression,  injustice,  fraud  and  imposture,  from 
which  they  would  have  delivered  the  people  ;  and  the  in- 
famy, inconsistency  ;  and  complicated  iniquity,  from  which 
they  would  have  debarred  the  Clers^y  and  the  Church, 
a.9  80  established^  would  have  vindicated  them  at  the  bar 
of  Heaven,  and  their  own  consciences. 

This  vile  remnant  of  Romish  power  and  usurpation,  in 
as  far  as  it  retains  Ecclesiastic  courts  and  jurisdiction, 
she  still  retains.  The  Monarch,  however  irreligious, pro- 
fligate, or  immoral,  is  still  the  5«crerfheadof  the  Church. 
And  the  Lordly  Bishops  of  his  appomtment,  like  their 
predecessors,  previous  to  the  Reformation,  still  unite 
the  temporal  with  the  spiritual  power,  in  their  courts  or 
consistories.  Canons,  it  is  true,  have  occasionally  been 
issued  against  the  wanton  abuse  of  this  Episcopal  prero- 
gative— And  several  excellent  Bishops  of  that  Church 
have  tried,  practically,  to  alleviate  its  iniquities  ;  yet  the 
establishment  still  conCinues — And  is  long  likely  to  con- 
tinue, even  in  that  land  of  civil  and  Religious  light  and 
information. 

But  to  shew  that  some  of  the  Dignitaries,  even  of  that 
Church,  have  not  viewed  it  with  less  indignation  than  is 

*  See  a  Tract  by  a  men  be.  of  ihe  Church  of  England,  on  Plu- 
alities,  non»residence,  &c.  published  in  1737. 


56 

here  expressed,  Mr.  Bohun,  an  enlightened  writer  ou 
that  subject,  informs  us,  that  in  a  familiar  conversation 
which  he  had  with  Bishop.  Burnet,  on  the  tyranny  of  Ec- 
clesiastic courts  and  jurisdiction,  the  Bishop  freely  de- 
clared to  him,  that,  "  The  canon  law  and  Ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction;  in  as  far  as  related  to  temporals,  were  ori- 
ginally derived  from  Hell  ;  and  that  thither  they  ought 
ito  be  sentagain.'*  And,  says  Bohun,  observing  me  start- 
led at  his  manner  of  expressing  himself,  the  Bishop 
added, — "A  greater  than  I,  even  Arch-bishop  Grindal, 
was  of  the  same  opinion."* 

Ecclesial  establishment,  therefore,  whether  Papal  or 
Protestant,  under  one  monarchial  head,  must  ever  be  pro- 
ductive of  tyranny  and  oppression  ;  is  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  example  and  precepts  of  the  Divine  Author  of 
Christianity  ;  and  can  never  be  otherwise  than  inimical 
to  any  Republican  system  of  government,  such  as  we  en- 
joy in  these  states. 

The  vindicators  of  St.  Mary's,  Sec.  introduce  some  in- 
dignant remonstrance,  tending  to  do  away  any  ground  for 
supposing,  that  their  Ecclesial  system  owns  any  spirit 
unpropitious  to  Republicanism.  But  with  what  proprie- 
ty can  reasoning  of  that  kind  be  accredited  from  men 
whose  principal  homage  is  devoted  to  a  Sovereign,  who 
lays  claim,  not  only  to  sjiiritual ;  but  to  temfioral  power; 
and  accounts  all  the  members  of  his  Church  his  vassals 
or  subjects,  wherever  they  may  live  ;  whether  in  a  mo- 
narchy, or  in  a  republic  ? 

Indeed,  it  is  evident  from  their  system  that  they  still 
wish  to  extend  that  man's  sovereignty  over  every  nation 
of  the  earth.  This  is  the  very  end  and  object  of  then- 
Church  establishment.     Their  highest  interest  as  well  as 


*  See  Bohun's  lleview  of  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdii^tion,  l.-st  pag-e, 
where  he  closes  the  above  Anecdote  witii,  •'  Hcu  !  Heu!  Hacc 
Sulphurcii  fonte  IVxlesiasdcoruiTi  exsurgunt— Mv,t.  Paris,  p.  542. 
col  e  •' 


57 

^lory  consist  in,  zetdofusiy,  extending  the  boumi*  of  thi^k 
man*s  en>pire — And,  therefore,  it  is  a  matter  of  minor 
ihipoi'tance,  under  what  inferior  species  or  form  of  civil 
policy  they  live,  regal  or  Republican,  provided  they  be 
privileged  with  paying  their  most  loyal  fealty  aikd  hom» 
age  to  that  ao-aereign^  who  long  tftirnpled  upon  the  na* 
tions  of  Europe ;  and  whose  tyrannic  dominion,  as  well 
temporal  as  spiritual,  they  would  still  desire  ta  sup 
port  and  re-establish. 

If  we  can  admit  this  to  be  Republicanism,  there  is  nQ 
doubt  but  all  the  subjects  ot  the  pontifical  monarch,  in 
these  states,  may  be  as  good  citizen  republicans  as  those 
of  2^j  otlier  Religious  denomination.  And  even  without 
referring  to  the  high  authority  of  Washinqton,  their 
revolutionary  services  and  Patriotism  are  too  well  known 
to  requii^  any  acknowledgement ;  whether  Republican- 
ism, as  now  constitutionally  established,  yea  or  not,  was 
then  the  object  of  their  highest  regard. 

As  to  foreign  Republics,  being  cherished  by,  and  owing 
fealty  to,  the  see  of  Rome,  we  confess  we  are  somewhat 
sceptical.  We  know  tliat  son^e  of  those  were  the  descen- 
dants of  men  who  derived  their  attachment  to  such  sys- 
tems of  government,  from  an  ancestry  that  could  not  be 
influenced,  either  by  Pagan,  or  by  (;^hristi^n  Pontiffs.  It 
is  scarcely  possible  th^t  in  countries  where  there  wer^ 
any  citizens,  whatever  their  Religious  Qreed  might  be, 
who  had  any  knowledge  of  a  Livy,  a  Cicero,  or  a  Tacitus^ 
and  who  would  not  be  enamoured  with  the  principles  of 
civil  Liberty.  |t  is  obvious,  however,  from  the  naost  au- 
thentic histoiy,  that  the  Republics  tq  which  they  aUudoj 
adhered  to  that  system,  chiefly  from  their  opposition  tp. 
the  temporal  encroachments  and  oppressive  avarice  qi 
the  Roman  See.  The  Republic  of  Venice,  in  particulay, 
however  ready  tq  swallow  even  the  hardest  of  his  Hol^ 
Bess's  spiritual  7iostrutn8j  not  seldom  opposed  the  inr9!i(J^ 

H 


58 

of  his  earthly  sovereignty  or  pontifical  administration— 
and  it  is  greatly  to  their  honour,  that  their  tender  mercies 
to  Heretics  far  exceeded  those  of  his  Holiness,  in  their 
zealously  opposing  his  repeated  attempts  to  introduce 
among  them  the  infernal  Inquisition.  Would  it  not,  there- 
fore, be  a  strange  perversion  of  reason  and  argument  to 
infer  from  the  existence,  or  the  administration  of  such 
Republics,  that  spiritual  vassalage  to  the  see  of  Rome^ 
was,  in  no  respect  inimical  to,  or  subversive  of,  the  spir- 
it of  Republican  Freedom,  especially  in  a  land  where  there 
could  be  no  apprehension  of  his  territorial  encroachment  ? 

The  zealous- Vindicators  seem  highly  indignant  that  their 
Theological  system  has  been  represented  as  hostile  to 
the  exercise  of  genius  ;  and  the  best  interests  of  Litera- 
ture and  Science.  But  if  they  sincerely  believe,  that  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  has  been  ;  and  still  is, "  that  light  which 
was  to  enlighten  the  world,**  and  yet,  at  same  time,  pro- 
hibit this  blessed  light  from  general  illumination,  by  dis- 
couraging the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  of  Truth  ;  how 
can  they,  consistently,  deny  but  that  this,  in  the  first  place, 
must  tend  to  obstruct  the  most  essential,  sacred,  and  in* 
fiuential  source  of  knowledge  and  improvement  ? 

In  the  second  place,  if  we  are  to  be  denied  the  right 
of  private  judgment ;  or  the  free  exercise  of  our  rational 
faculties,  oft  any  tenets,  civil  or  religious,  even  admitting 
the  great  imperfections  of  those  faculties  ;  and  it  it  be 
inculcated  that  we  should  have  an  imfilicit  faith  in  any 
man ;  or  body  of  men,  equally  sinful  and  imperfect  as 
ourselves,  and  perhaps  equally  ignorant  and  uninstruct- 
ed,  can  any  person  of  understanding  pretend  to  say,  that 
this  would  not  prove  subversive  of  any  suitable  zeal  for 
learning  or  improvement  ?  It  can  afford  no  convincing 
proof  that  the  doctrines,  mysteries,  and  traditions  incul- 
cated by  the  Papal  Church,  are  favourable  to  knowledge 
and  learmng ;  because  out  of  her  so  much  boasted  of  mil- 


59 

lions?  two  or  three  individuals,  in  an  age,  have  shone,  il- 
lustriously, in  Literature,  amidst  all  the  darkness  and  in- 
tolerance which  their  Ecclesiastical  establishment  diffus- 
ed around  them.  Besides,itispresumcd,  that  they  are  in- 
capable of  shewing  us,  whether  even  these  feiv  enlighten- 
ed men,  of  any  nation,  who  have  occasionally  appeared  in 
connection  with  their  Church,  were  or  were  not,  sincere 
believers  in  all  her  absurd  Doctrines  and  Dogmas.*  To 
such  as  are  acquainted  with  the  influence  which  national 
establishments  in  Religion,  have,  in  keeping  even  the 
most  enlightened  men  within  the  peal  of  the  Church,  by 
external  profession,  while  in  heart  they  are  far  from  as- 
senting to  all  her  Doctrines,  it  requires  no  elucidation, 
rtor  testimony^  that  such  must  have  existed  in  the  Ro- 
mish Church,  the  most  intolerant  of  any  that  bear  the 
name  of,  Christian.  Indeed  that  man  must  be  well  fitted 
hr  implicit  credence  in  all  her  pretensions  to  infallibility, 
who  can  be  brought  to  believe,  that  under  so  tyrannical 
and  extensive  a  sovereignty  over  the  christian  world,  for 
so  many  ages,  there  existed  none,  especially  in  the  more 
polished  and  enlightened  nations,  who  were  induced  to 
conform  in  external  obedience,  while  in  spirit  they  de- 
plored that  despotism  over  the  mind  to  which  they  were 
subjected  ;  and  to  murmur  against  which,  would  have 
incurred  the  Papal  ban  of  excommunication  from  Hea- 
ven and  from  Earth  I 

Under  such  circumstances,  is  it  to  be  wondered  at 
that,  here  and  there,  even  through  the  dark  domain 
of  intolerant  superstition,  a  few  men  of  genius  pur- 
sued the  culture  of  Letters  and  Science,  in  all  pro- 
bability, as  ihe  best  source  of  consolation  for  the  loss 
©f  that  "  Liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free"— 
but  of  which  they  found  themselves  bereft  by  an  irresis 

•  The  great  Erasmus  is  an  illustrious  instance — he  never  a- 
vowed  his  having  left  the  bosonti  of  their  Church — and  yet  it  is 
questionable  whether  even  the  works  of  Luther  himself  teadtd 
more  to  expose  the  enormous  corruption  of  the  Clergy  of  that 
Church,  in  his  day. 


80 

•iible  pntytrel",   that  combined  the  inexorable  penalties  ttt 
the  state,  widi  uU  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican  ? 

Nor  has  it  been  denied,  that  several  of  the  most  fiery 
aealots  in  behalf  of  that  Church,  found  it  necessary  to  ap- 
^ly  themselves  to  the  attainment  of  Ihe  first  rank  in  Lite- 
TAture,  in  order  to  promote  the  credit  of  thek  J^^ly  <  Al- 
ina  Mater.'  Many  of  the  Jesuits,  in  particular,  at  the  re- 
Tival  of  learning,  distinguished  themseiv^s  in  the  repub- 
lic of  Letters,  not  only  from  the  motives  already  mentionr 
ed)  but  also,a.s  a  recommendation  to  the  diSerent  Courta 
and  Countries,  which  they  aimed  at  subjecting  to  their 
awfl  oppressive  tyranny,  and  that  of  the  Chw^rch.  If  we 
snay  credit  the  history  of  that  order  or  sect,  it  was  with 
^em  as  with  the  vindicators  of  St.  Mary*s,  &c.  a  hofreful 
jnodc  pf  ProseJytisiii,  by  their  great  learning  ;  or  at  least, 
Sffi  affectation  of  it,  to  gain  an  ascendency  over  the  m^inds 
t)f  youth  by  public -ediicat  on.  They  Ajndcrstood  well  Uie  dl>- 
dUatyofthatage;  and  tiiat  whatever  principles  are  then  im- 
bibed, are  apt  to  be  lasting  ;  and  especially,  that  Nurseries 
of  this  kind,  near  -the  seal  <^  Government^  would  in  time 
difi'u^e  the  sU-^eams  of  their  influence  throughout  th^  aa> 

"But  granting  tTieir  Literati  all  the  credit  they  claim 
from  tliese  views ;  it  is  a  notorious  Truth  that  over  the 
-wide  and  dark  welkin  of  Papal  influence  and  establisli- 
iiient,  few  are  the  distinguished  luminaries  of  general 
"knowledge  and  information  :  and  of  these  fe^,  small  has 
been  the  portion  indeed,  notwithstanding  the  extent  of  its 
empire,  who  arose  to  eminence  under  pontifical  patron- 
age.   There  are  sufficient  historical  documents  to  prove 

•  Let  those  who  make  profeasioa  of  Pre«byteriani5ra,  and  who 
have  solemnly  dedicated  by  Baptism,  their  oft'sprinpto  the  "  nur« 
tuM  and  admonition"  of  that  portion  of  ChjUst'*  Church,  reftect 
upon  these  Truths—and  who  also  in  opposition  to  the  public  and 
solemn  warning  and  instruction  of  the  Presbytery,  have  imagined 
that  theile  is  no  inconsistency  with  those  sacred  enga.gements,  or 
with  their  professions  of  regard  for  civil  and  Religious  Liberty, 
in  their  Sons  bearing  a  Diploma  from  the  Order  <if  tSt.  Domi' 
nic, ;  the  founders  of  the  infernal  lN<i.uisTTioN. 


61 

That  karning  was  much  more  patrotiised  under  the  first  of 
the  Pagan  Emperors,  than  ever  it  has  been  under  the 
*  Holy  See.'*  It  is  true,  two  or  three  of  the  Pontifis  \\xvt 
liberal  in  their  patronage  of  Letters  ;  and  especially  thfe 
Fine  Arts  ;  because  they  found  these  tended  to  embellish 
their  Lordly  pi-ide  and  ambition ;  but  when  we  view  them 
throughout  each  characteristic  link  of  their  long  sucoes« 
sion,  as  presuming  to  be  the  peculiar  repository  of*'  that 
Light  which  was  to  enlighten  the  world,"  Alas  !  Alas  ! 
What  sort  of  lustre  was  it  that  it  diffused  throughout  Eul 
rope  from  the  fourth  to  the  seventeenth  century  ?  Su- 
perstition, will-worship,  intolerance,  blood  shed  and  pci- 
secutionH 

To  ali,  in  any  degi-ee  acquainted  with  the  Histoiw  4d 
Christianity,  and  ^Iso  with  that  of  Literature,  it  would  be 
unnecessary  to  introduce  prcofs  of  v/hat  is  here  advanc- 
ed. Whatever  progress  particular  individuals,  or  orders 
in  communion  with  the  Romish  Church,  made  in  learn- 
ing and  science  ;  it  is  undeniable  that  the  Holy  ^ee,  in 
the  general  spirit  of  its  sovereign  adrainistration,<liscour- 
aged  tlte  difFasion  of  Literary  and  Scienulic  knowledge  ^ 
and  sought  to  support  the  dumtion  of  its  spiritual  tyran^ 
ny-on  the  ignorance  of  the  people.  To  what  else  is  to 
b'e  assigned  that  cruel,  intolerant,  and  unrelenting  perse* 
cution  to  which  the  immortal  Galileo  was  subjected  ? 

In  the  year  1607,  a  Literary  Inquisition,  or  Index  ex» 
purgatoriusy  was  established  at  Rome,  for  the  condemna- 
tion of  all  such  authors,  or  books,  as  were  ihost  obnox* 
ious  to  his  hbliness;  and  the  tymnny  of  his  Ecclesial  ga- 
vernment  !  Nor  was  this  Book -Inquisition,  confined  to 
works  in  Theology  alone,  but  was  extended  to  those  o^ 
every  subject,  throughout  the  whole  circle  of  Literature 
and  "Science  !  On  this  view  of  the  despotism  of  the  Pa- 
pal See,  an  eminent  author,*  to   whom  I  have  alread,^ 

*  Doctor  Campbell  -^See  also  C.  Villers's  Luminous  Dis- 
sertation on  the  effects  which  J^  Heformatiop.  by  Lvtkkr  h*d  ©h 


*62 

more  than  once  alluded,  expresses  himself  thus,  "  hoxt 
"  similar  have  been  the  aims  and  the  pretensions  of  Pa^ 
"  gan  and  of  Papal  Rome  1  Both  aspired,  and  with  amaz- 
"  ing  success,  at  universal  empire.  But  how  dissimilar 
"  have  been  the  means  employed  for  the  attainment  of 
"  the  end  ?  The  former,  Pagan  Rome,  secured  the  su* 
*'  periority  which  her  arms  had  gained  by  diffusing  know- 
"  ledge  and  civilising  the  conquered  nations :  thus  mak- 
"  ing  as  it  were  compensation  to  them  by  her  arts,  for 
"  the  injustice  she  had  done  them  by  her  arms.  The  lat- 
^^  ter,  Papal  Rome,  who  for  a  long  time  indeed  employed 
"  more  fraud  than  violence  (though  far  from  rejecting 
<<  the  aid  of  either)  secured  her  conquests  by  lulling  the 
"  people  in  ignorance ;  diverting  their  curiosity  with 
"  monstrous  legends,  and  monkish  tales,  and  by  doing 
"  what  she  could  to  render  an4  keep  tiiem,  barbarians.'* 

But  the  best,  indeed  I  may  say,  tlic  only  test  of  all  con- 
troversy on  this  head  ;  as  well  as  on  the  merit  or  demer- 
it of  all  Religious  systems,  is  that  which  the  Divine  Au- 
thor of  Christianity  hatli  enjoined,  as  our  only  certain 
guide.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  The  ce- 
libacy of  the  Romish  Clergy  may  enable  them  to  give  up 

the  proi^ress  of  knowledge  throughout  the  Christian  world — and 
which  obtained  the  prize  from  the  French  National  InstI. 
•f  UTE,  on  that  subject,  an  authority  which  we  hope,  St.  Mary's 
advooites  cannot  consistently  reject.  His  words  are,  •*  The^liia- 
*'  lory  of  all  the  books  which  have  been  juridically  condemned 
<•  would  be  highly  interesting-,  were  it  Pnilosophically  written  ; 
*•  we  should  find  many  stigmatised  for  having  d&red  to  say,  that, 
*•  every  honest  man  ought  to  glory  in  thinking!  Let  us  take 
*'  one  instance  among  a  thousand.  Toward  the  close  of  the  Ifih 
•*  Century  the  missionary  Lecompte  published  his  Neveaux  Me- 
**  moires  sur  1'  etat  present  de  la  Cliine,  in  which  he  had  the  can- 
"  dour  to  aay,  that  **  the  Cliinese  had  adored  the  true  God  for 
"  two  thousand  years — that  among  the  nations,  they  were  the  first 
J'  who  had  sacrificed  to  their  Creklor,  and  taught  a  true  morali. 
•*  ty.*'  We  cannot  at  this  time,  conceive  what  a  clamour  this 
**  simple  assertion  of  an  Historian  then  excited.  The  Abb^  Boi- 
**  leau,  brother  to  the  celebrated  Satyrist,  thundered  in  the  Sor- 
"  bonne,  and  denounced  the  good  missionary  as  a  blasphemer! 
"  In  1700,  the  Sorbonne  tried  and  condemned  the  book,  which 
**  the  Parliament  had  aho.the  weakness  to  order  to  be  torn  and 
*'  burnt  by  the  hands  of  the  Hangnnan  V* 


153 

their  lives  solely  to  their  own  improvement  and  the  In- 
struction of  their  people.  The  numbers  required  to 
fill  up  the  various  ranks,  Sn  their  Superior  and  Inferioi* 
Orders,  should  also  strengthen  their  hands  in  this  respect. 
From  all  these  advantages,  then  does  it  appear, that  their 
Clergy  are  generally  more  learned  and  enlightened  ;  or 
the  people,  in  general^  more  moral,  and  conscientious 
then  those  of  other  denominations  in  all  the  essential  du- 
ties of  Religion,  as  inculcated  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ  ? 
**  Ye  are  my  Disciples,  said  the  Divine  Saviour,  If  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you."  But  do  they  reverence 
his  commands  most^  who  appear  to  be  zealous  only  in  fol- 
lowing "  the  Traditions  and  commandments  of  men,** — 
who  are  led  away  by  vain  forms,  unauthorised  ceremonies, 
and  gaudy  pompous  processions  ;  and  who  appear  to  re- 
gard these,  even  more  than  the  laws  of  God ;  or  the  meek, 
lowly,  a.nd  unembellished  precepts  and  example  of  Christ 
atid  his  Apostles  ? 

'  In  proportion  as  their  system  of  Doctrines  has  prevail- 
ed in  any  community  ;  and  the  instruction  of  their  nu- 
merous Pastors  hath  had  full  scope  and  operation  ;  is  it 
there  we  find  the  pure  and  simple  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel 7no5/ efficacious  on  the  hearts  and  conduct  of  men  j 
or,  is  it  there  that  all  the  vices  against  which  the  word  of 
God  warns,  and  exhorts  us,  are  more  avoided  and  detest- 
ed, thfin  by  any  other  society  of  professing  Christians  ? 
Are  the  great  body  of  the  members  of  that  Church  aa 
often  on  their  knees,  In  secret,  confessing  before  their 
God  ;  as  our  Saviour  hath  expressly  enjoined  ;  as  they 
are  to  tlieir  Clerical  Confessor  for  that  purpose  ?  Is  ho- 
liness in  heart  and  in  life  as  Christ  comma nc/*  i  or  a  zea-* 
lous  compliance  with  forms,  fasts,  and  festivals,  as  the 
Church  enjoins,  the  genuine  characteristic  of  their  Reli- 
gious Righteousness  ;  and  that  in  a  degree,  proportion- 
od  to  the  assumed  superiority  of  their  system,  over  thut 
of  any  other  Church  or  Religion  ? 


64 

Surolf  these  cannot  be  ccmsidered  as  unseasonable,  t>r 
^  illiberal  enquiries,  by  those  who  denounce  the  «  ley 
services"  of  their  nerghboura,  *Should  we  travel  int» 
the  interior  of  those  Christian  countries,  where  scarce  a 
shade  of  Protestant  Heresy,  as  they  view  U,  hath  yet 
darkened  ox  obstructed  the  hminoua  devotions  of  their 
worshippers,  would  we  there  ftnd  the  inhabitants,  firo-. 
fLortionably  to  their  boasted  superiority,  enlghtened 
both  as  to  principle  and  practice,  in  all  the  sublime  mo- 
Tality  of  the  Gospel  ?  I  apprehend  the  very  reverse  of 
this  would  be  found  to  be  the  Fact.  A  fact  on  which, 
mutatis  mutandis,  we  might  venture  to  ri^  the  decision 
gf  the  merits  of  the  opposite  systems. 

But  let  it  not  be  imagined  that  these  ideas,  encourage 
ei  «laim  to  sinless  perfection  in  any.  Immoral,  as  well  as 
moral  individuals,  are  found  under  every  system  of  Reli- 
gious instruction.  It  is  therefore,  the  duty  of  all  to  be 
humble  in  their  claims  to  pa^'ity  of  reformation  and  rec- 
titude in  tlic  sight  of  God.  But  it  is  equally  our  duty  to 
examine  the  grounds  of  all  such  claims,  either  by  our- 
selves, or  by  others— ^nd  honestly  and  faithfully,  to  bring 
all  our  Religious  systems,  professions  and  pretensions  to 
the  true  standard  of  f)ivine  doctrine  ;  and  to  the  grand 
criterion  of  all  knowledge — Experiment. 

If  the  vindicators,  &c.  be  as  friendly  to  Science,  as 
they  profess  to  be,  they  can  have  no  objection  to  this  test. 
As  Bacon  and  Newton  settled  all  tlie  jargon  of  the  schools 
with  regard  to  Physical  philosophy,  in  this  way  ;  I  ap^ 
prehend  it  would  be  no  less  effectual,  in  the  fair  and  hon- 
est analysis  of  Ecclesiastical  or  Theological  systems,  ei- 
ther in  their  theory,  or  their  practice. 

♦  See  "^illers's,  &c.  page  21^^  215,  where  a  splendid  contrast  is 
formed,  in  this  respect,  with  regard  both  to  morals  and  literarjr 
improvement — while  the  Protestant  Cantons  of  Switzerland  could 
boast  of  H  Haller,  the  Crouzas,  theBuxTORFS,  the  Weren- 
TliLs,  IsELiN,  Bernouilli,  Euler  and  Gessjier,  &c. — Catho- 
lic Switzerland  had  not  one  single  character,  of  any  literary  em'x- 
nence. 


65 

The  Avriter  of  this  Defence,  whatever  prejudice  may 
dictate  to  the  contrary,  is  no  friend  to  offensive  contests 
or  animosities  of  any  kind.  It  is  hoped  that,  sufficient 
evidence  hath  been  here  adduced,  tliat  the  Presbytery's 
Letter  was  entirely  defensive  ;  and  that  it  descended  to 
no  exposure,  but  such  as  was  absolutely  necessary  for 
that  Defence.  To  the  members  of  that  Church  which  calls 
itself,  '•  Catholic^'*  the  author  of  these  remarks  hath  ne» 
ver  cherished  any  other  spirit  than  he  would  wish  to  see 
exercised  toward  himself,  or  those  with  whom  he  is  Re* 
ligiously  connected,  by  any  who,  agreeably  to  Scripture 
and  Reason,  would  conscientiously  endeavour  to  convince 
him  of  his  errors.  He  is  equally  opposed  in  prmciple> 
to  the  encroachment  of  their  imaginary  supremacy  over 
others  ;  and  the  ///(?^a/ intolerance  of  others  toward  them. 
A  zealous  friend  to  Christian  toleration ;  or  in  other 
words  to  Christian  charity,  he  equally  condemns  the  in- 
tolerant and  oppressive  spirit  of  Protestant  governments 
toward  Catholics  ;  as  tjiat  of  the  presumptuous  suprema* 
cy  of  the  latter  toward  Protestants.  Indeed  in  the  sense 
in  which  he  views  Religious  toleration,  especially  in  a 
nation  where  all  denominations  have  equal  rights,  all  who 
are  opposed  to  it,  must  cease  to  be  Protestant ;  and  hav© 
relinquished  its  genuine  spirit. 

If,  in  any  Christian  Nation,  those  professing  the 
Romish  Religion,  feel  unjustly  the  effects  of  what 
is  here  most  sincerely  condemned  ;  they  ought,  there- 
fore, not  to  charge  it,  to  the  account  of  genuine  Protege 
tantism;  but  to  the  unhallowed;  and,  as  yet,  unpuri- 
fied  dregs  of  their  own  Papal  government,  impiously, 
assumed  by  a  Head,  equally  as  unjust  and  tyrannical, 
and  equally  the  enemy  in  this  respect,  to  real  Refor«» 
mation  ;  as  to  '  Catholic  Emancipation/  But  how  shall 
we  account  for  it,  that  even  those  who  have  been, 
and  who  still  continue  to  be,  the  enslaved  victims  of  smc4 
power,  have  not  yet  had  their  eyes  opened  to  the  intoler- 
ance and  iniquity  of  that  Hierarchy  which  so  long  op^ 
pressed  ;  and  if  unrestrained,  v/ouUl  yet  continue  to  op? 

I 


66 

press  and  enslave,  the  whole  Christian  world?  Is  it  not 
astonishing  that,  even  in  a  land,  where  all  seem  to  ac- 
knowledge civil  Liberty  to  be  the  greatest  earthly  boon 
bestowed  by  Heaven  ut^on  mortals,  there  should  be  any 
found  to  advocate  that  system  of  temporal  and  spiritual 
Hierarchy  which  ever  has,  and  from  its  very  nature, 
whether  assumed  by  the  See  of  London  ;  or  the  See  of 
Rome,  ever  must  prove  subversive,  not  only  of  Religious^ 
but  also  of  civil  Liberty  ;  and  that  in  porportion,  of  de- 
gree, to  the  extent  to  which  it  is  encouraged  ? 

If  there  be  any  Truth  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  more 
clearly  or  distinctly  revealed  than  another,  it  is  that  ia 
which  he  declared,  both  by  his  Doctrine  and  example, 
that  "  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world.**  The  spirit* 
therefore,  of  his  Religion  ;  and  consequently  of  the  laws 
and  government  of  his  Church  is,  and  ever  must  be,  in 
direct  opposition  to  Hierarchical  ambition  ;  Metropolitan 
distinction,  earthly  pomp  and  ostentation  ;  and  all  the 
meanness  of  personal  pride  and  presumption. 

To  view  the  Son  of  God  in  all  his  humiliation  ;  in  all 
the  sublimity  of  his  condescension  to  sinners  ;  and  to  con- 
trast with  this  all  the  impious  pafade  of  Prelacy  ;  of 
Popes  and  Cardinals,  Metropolitans  and  Primates,  Bish- 
ops, and  Archbishops,  and  Dignitaries  of  every  name, 
forms  a  picture  too  painful  for  contemplation.*  It  pre- 
sents a  group  similar  to  what  might  be  expected  from  a 
Resurrection  of  the  Apostate  spirits  ;  indulged  in  that 
passion  which  hurld  them  from  the  presence  ot  God  ;  and 
permitted  to  assume  upon  earth,  a  proud  triumph  over 
the  Doctrine  and  examine  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus. 

Should  this  appear  to  any  to  Savour  of  puritanical  se- 
verity, I  would  beseech  them  to  place,  even  in  idea,  a  mi- 
tred Lord  spiritual,  arrayed  in  all  the  proud  parapharna- 
lia  of  rank  and  dignity,  in  contrast  with  Him,  who  left  the 
bosom  of  Celestial  Glory,  to  instruct  the  human  race  by 

'  •  What  a  pity  the  celebrated  '  Diderot'  had  not  executed  such 
a  Picture — How  precious  would  have  been  its  influence  in  all  Ca- 
thedrals i  Royal  Chapels,  &c.  of  Romish  }  orof  Frotcatatit  name  \ 


the  deep  humility,  and  indigent  lowliness  of  his  ex[\m- 
ple. 

These  principles,  however  despised  by  the  vain  and 
ambitious  ;  or  however  discordant,  to  the  ears  of  courts 
and  Cardinals,  I  consider  as  truly  Catholic. 

Protestants  and  those  who  assume,  exclusively,  the 
name  of*  Catholic,'  are  not  so  widely  separated  in  the 
essential  principles  of  their  Religious  Faith,  as  their  re-, 
spective  Tyrants  have,  too  successfully  and  servilely, 
from  time  to  time,  induced  them  to  believe.  Were  a  Ca- 
tholic asked  for  a  summary  of  his  Religious  Faith,  would 
he  hesitate  to  acknowledge  the  Apostle's  Creed,  as  that 
summary  ?  In  as  far  as  Religious  Doctrine  is  concern- 
ed, is  it  not  also  recognised  as  such,  by  every  Protestant 
denomination  ?  It  is  therefore  evident  that  the  Apostles* 
Creed  is  a  summary  of  the  Religious  Faith  of  every  <  Ca- 
tholic,* as  well  as  of  every  Protestant.  Why,  then,  so 
much  division  among  Christians  ?  Does  it  arise  from  that 
which  Cometh  from  man ;  or  that  which  cometh  from 
God  ?  Does  it  proceed  from  a  strict  and  zealous  adher- 
ence  to  the  plain  and  unperverted  meaning  or  sense  of 
the  word  o^God  ;  or  from  blind  andamplicit  assent  to  the 
«  Traditions  of  the  Church  ;  or  rather  the  Clergy  so 
called  ?  Would  to  God  those  who  consider  themselves 
alone  entitled  to  the  name  of,  *  Catholic,*  would  consider 
these  enquiries  as  candidly,  and  impartially  as  they 
ought.  To  them  this  is  fieculiqrly  applicable,  from  the 
consideration  that  they,  more  than  other  Christians,  place 
confidence  in  mere  human  authority,  especially  as  to  the 
forms,  ceremonies,  and  government  of  their  Church  i 
Could  they  venture  out  of  the  trammels  by  which  they 
have  been  so  long  held  in  slavish  bpndage,  they  would 
be  soon  enabled  to  see  wha.t  proceeded  from  God  ;  and 
what  was  merely  of  human  invention.  In  those  \yho  have 
conscientiously  assayed  to  dissolve  the  yoke  of  their  spi- 
ritual slavery,  they  might  then  also,  be  enabled  to  find  de^ 
nevolence  instead   of  enmitij — ^But,  what    to  them  is  of 


6a 

greatly  more  value,  they  would  th^ti  be  qualified  to  Sec 
•why  it  is,  that  so  many  of  those  who  have  undertaken  to 
instruct  them,  have  been  influenced  rather  by  that  which 
tends  to  promote  the  pride  and  prelacy  of  a  sinful  indi- 
vidual, like  themselves  ;  than  that  which,  independent  of 
all  earthly  influence  and  interest,  is  calculated  to  promote 
the  pure  and  spiritual  worship  and  service  of  the  most 
High  God. 

Would  any  be  disposed  to  look  to  a  recent  example 
for  these  invaluable  purposes,  they  may  see  an  illustrious 
one  in  the  following  Appendix.  About  the  same  time 
that  the  Presbytery  of  Baltimore,  published  their  Pasto- 
ral Letter,  Mr.  Crowley  gave  publicity  to  his  reasons 
for  recantation  from  the  Errors  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Let  Catholics,  wh©  would  cherish  any  freedom  or  liberali- 
ty of  understanding  on  Religious  subjects,  lend  them  an 
unprejudiced  and  dispassionate  hearing.  Let  them  judge 
■with  candour,  how  it  is,  that  these  reasons  and  the  Pres- 
bytery's Letter,  harmonise  in  every  particular. 

Mr.  Crowley  had  no  common  means  of  acquiring  infor** 
mation,  on  every  Doctrine  and  <  Tradition*  of  that  Church, 
in  which  he  was  born  and  educated.  He  is  said  to  have 
been  previous  to  his  Recantation  a  Student;  and  after- 
wards appointed  ;  or  about  being  appointed,  a  Professor, 
in  the  Roman  Catholic  College  of  Maynooth,  near  Dub- 
lin— and  surely  the  man  who,  for  the  cause  of  Truth  and 
Reason,  could  with  such  heroism,  unshackle  himself,  not 
only  from  every  bond  of  spiritual  slavery ;  but  also  from 
the  fascinations  of  worldly  intei^st ;  and  popular  and  pa- 
rental influence  ;  together  with  that  early  prejudice  which 
he  had  imbibed  with  the  fluid  of  his  vkal  aliment,  well 
merits  the  attention,  even  of  those  whose  opinions  he 
hath  forsaken — while  to  luke-warm  reformers  ;  and  Pro- 
fessors of  Protestantism,  without  Interest  or  spirit  in  its 
defence,  he  exhibits  a  lesson  of  shame  and  conviction. 


APPENDIX,  &c. 

Mr.  JAMES  CROWLEY'S  Reasons  for  Recantation 
from  the  Errors  of  the  Church  of  RoME-^aa  publish'- 
€d  in  Dublin.^  in  Se/it.  last.* 

That  certain  errors  have  gradually  crept  into  the  re- 
ligion of  the  church  of  Rome,  is  a  fact  which  few  of  us 
can  deny.  I  am,  however,  but  little  surprised  at  the 
vast  number  of  people  who  still  adhere  to  it.  During 
the  early  part  of  life,  we  are,  in  general  much  more 
prone  to  believe,  than  to  doubt  or  suspect :  and  whate- 
ver we  have  been  industriously  taught  to  believe,  when 
young,  we  are  very  apt  to  consider  as  true  ever  after. 
Nay,  it  often  happens,  that  groundless  fears,  excited  in 
children,  such  as  the  fear  of  ghosts,  apparitions,  or  ban- 
shees, continue  uuivbatcd  throughout  the  whole  course 
of  life.  Early  notions,  however  false  ;  early  prejudices| 
how  ever  absurd ;  and  even  early  fears,  however  vam, 
are  seldom  removed  from  the  mind  of  man,  by  the  na- 
tive unassisted  force  of  his  reason  j  because,  by  pre-oc- 
cupying  his  mind,  they  impede  or  weaken,  and  render 
inefficient  the  exercise  of  that  power,  on  all  subjects 
wherewith  they  are  connected.  To  eradicate  them  com- 
pletely from  the  mind,  by  the  exercise  of  reason,  that 
power  must  be  previously  roused  and  strengthened  by 
extensive  study  and  reflection,  or  by  diligent  attention 
to  the  instruction  of  those  whose  reasoning  powers  have 
been  thus  improved.  But  alas  !  there  are  few  who  have 
sufficient  leisure  and  inclination  for  the  former,  or  oppor- 
tunities to  profit  by  the  latter.  And  hence  it  happens, 
that  few,  comparatively  speaking,  are  exempt  from  those 
prejudices  which  were  implanted  in  their  minds  during 
the  season  of  youth,  and  which,  above  all  other  circum* 
stances,  expose  them  to  be  influenced,  duped,  and  con* 
trolled. 

*  The  demand  for  tliis  publication  was  so  f^reat,  that  the  Dublin 
Editor  informs  us,  he  was  obliged  to  strike  off  another  inipres- 
sion  tlie  next  d^y  after  its  appearance. 


70 

Long  before  children  are  sent  to  confession,  they  are 
taught  by  their  parents  and  others  to  respect  and  to 
dread  the  priest.  Confession,  and  especially,  confirma- 
tion, afford  him  the  best  opportunities  that  can  be,  and 
•which  he  very  rarely  neglects,  to  make  the  deepest  im- 
pressions on  their  tender  minds — And  his  occasional 
admonitions  and  threatenings,  together  with  the  dis- 
courses and  examples  of  priest-ridden  or  credulous 
people,  are  generally  sufficient  to  prevent  these  im- 
pressions from  being  afterwards  either  effaced  or  veg^k- 
ened. 

For  my  part,  when  I  entered  the  College  of  May- 
nooth,  I  implicitly  believed  all  that  my  Confessor  had 
previously  told  me.  I  did  not  allow  myself  to  entertain 
the  least  doubt  about  any  article  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
faith  ;  and  I  was  really  convinced  that  none  but  Roman 
Catholics  could  be  saved  hereafter-  Happening,  how- 
ever, to  be  present  at  a  sort  of  dispute  on  the  subject  of 
addressing  the  blessed  Virgin  and  the  Saints  in  prayer, 
I  became  extvemely  anxious  to  know  whether  as  much 
could  be  said  in  its  behalf,  or,  rather  I  grew  anxious 
{O  know  whether  as  much  could  be  said  against  our 
holy  religion,  as  I  knew  could  be  said  in  its  behalf — or, 
rather,  I  grew  anxious  to  prepare  myself  to  refute  the 
arguments  which  I  began  to  perceive  could  be  brought 
against  it.  I  accordingly  set  about  studying  the  works  of 
some  of  the  more  eminent  Protestant  Divines,  by  whom 
our  religion  has  been  attacked,  and  read  over  and  over 
again  that  holy  book  which  we  scarcely  ever  see  in  the 
hands  of  our  laity— -I  mean  the  Bible.  The  consequence 
was,  that  I  soon  began  to  doubt  the  truth  of  almost  all 
that  my  Confessor  had  told  me,  and  that  I  had  before 
believed,  without  due  examination,  or  had  taken  upon 
trust.  And  I  do  now  in  my  conscience,  believe,  that  if 
any  man  of  a  sound  mind  can  rescue  himself  from  the 
absurd  prejudices  of  his  youth,  and  will  take  the  trouble 
to  read  the   Bible  with  becoming  attention,  and  to  read 


71 

laid  cbmparfe  what  the  best  of  our  Divines,  and  the  best 
of  the  Protestant  Divines  have  written  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  he  will  find  it  utterly  impossible  to  continue,  in 
reality,  a  Roman  Catholic.  Indeed  one  of  our  Profess- 
ors, a  very  sensible  and  well  informed  man,  said,  in  my 
hearing,  a  few  months  ago,  that  the  religion  of  the  Church 
of  Rome  could,  by  no  means,  bear  examination  ;  and  that 
for  his  part,  he  often  secretly  laughed  at  the  stupid  cre- 
dulity of  the  Roman  Catholic  laity.  He  moreover,  allud- 
ed, that  he  was  personally  acquainted  with  two  learned, 
benevolent,  and  pious  Clergymen,  who  seemed  so  dis- 
gusted with  the  Roman  Catholic  Religion,  that  he  was 
persuaded  they  would  soon  publicly  renounce  it. 

There  is  nothing  which  the  clergy  of  the  church  of 
Rome  appear  to  dread  so  much,  and,  indeed,  with  such 
good  reason,  as  inquisitiveness  on  the  part  of  the  people 
with  regard  to  religion.  The  Protestant  clergy  seem  to 
care  but  little  what  books  their  people  read,  provided 
they  are  not  downright  atheistical,  and  that  one  of  them 
is  the  Bible  ;  or  what  places  of  worship  they  go  to,  pro- 
vided they  occasionally  attend  church.  They  rather  seem 
to  be  of  opinion,  that  the  more  their  people  read  and  hear, 
and  discourse  about  religion,  the  better.  They  say,  and 
I  believe  they  say  truly,  that  what  Protestants  may  hear 
or  see  in  Roman  Catholic  chapels,  or  read  in  Roman 
Catholic  books,  is  much  more  likely  to  confirm  them  in 
their  own  religion,  than  to  incline  them  to  that  of  Rome  ; 
and  that  bad  it  not  been  for  the  various  arts  which  cun- 
ning or  mistaken  priests  have  always  been  in  the  habit  of 
practising  on  weak  and  ignorant  Protestants,  conversion 
to  the  church  of  Rome  would  have  been  a  very  uncom- 
mon occurrence.  On  the  contrary,  the  clergy  of  that 
church  tell  their  people,  that  they  are  their  proper  spi- 
ritual guides  ;  that  they  must  depend  entirely  and  exclu- 
sively on  them  for  instruction  in  religious  concerns  ;  and 
if  they  give  ear  to  others,  who  frequent  heretical  places 
of  worship,  or  read  any  books  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
but  those  who  have  been  sanctioned  by  the  church,  they 


'72 

run  the  risk  of  eternal  damnation.  Now  this  conduct  of 
theirs,  if  other  considerations  were  wanting,  is  alone  suf- 
ficient to  make  every  reflecting  man  entertain  the  strong- 
est doubts  with  regard  to  the  truth  and  purity  of  the  Rom- 
ish religion.  For  if  a  religion  be  true  and  pure,  it  cer- 
tainly will  bear  close  examination  and  comparison  with 
others :  nay,  the  more  such  a  religion  is  examined  and 
compared  with  others,  the  more  it  will  probably  be  ven- 
erated by  the  wise  and  good.  But  if  a  religion  be  not 
distinguished  by  truth  and  purity,  the  more  it  is  exam- 
ined and  compared  with  others,  by  sensible  people,  the 
more  they  will  be  disposed  to  forsake  and  condemn  it. 
And  here,  my  countrymen  and  fellow  Christians,  it  may 
not  be  amiss  to  observe,  that  the  Almighty  has  bestowed 
on  us  the  power  of  reasoning  for  the  evident  purpose  of 
enabling  us  to  distinguish  between  truth  and  error — that 
we  certainly  are  accountable  to  him  for  the  use  which  we 
make  of  that  power,  as  well  as  of  every  other  gift  or  ta- 
lent which  we  have  received  from  him — that  religion  is 
confessedly  the  most  important  of  human  concerns — and 
that  if  we  do  not  employ  our  power  of  reasoning  in  en- 
deavouring to  discover  whether  the  particular  religion 
which  we  profess,  be  genuine,  and  conformable  to  the 
will  of  God  ;  or  spurious  and  subservient  to  the  designs 
of  men ;  much  more,  if  we  obstinately  and  perversely 
adhere  to  a  religion  which  we  have  discovered  to  be  false, 
we  positively  can  have  no  sufiicient  ground  for  expect- 
ing salvation  hereafter. 

The  clergy  of  the  church  of  Rome  declare,  that  thelf 
religion  is  founded  on  the  Bible,  and  yet  they  are  un- 
ceasingly solicitous  to  prevent  the  study  of  that  holy- 
book,  even  as  translated  under  the  inspection  and  con- 
troul  of  Roman  Catholic  divines  ;  because,  as  they  sajr, 
the  laity  are  incapable  of  understanding  its  true  mean- 
ing without  the  constant  assistance  of  the  clergy.  This 
assertion,  however  false  ;  (it  is  evidently  false  with  refers 
ence  to  almost  every  passage  in  the  Bible,  on  which  the 
different  articles  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Religion  are 


73 

founded,)  you  readily  believe,  as  you  foolishly  do  whalev* 
er  else  they  say. 

The  meaning  of  these  passages,  without  a  single  ex« 
ception,  is,  as  you  will  presently  see,  so  very  plain, 
that  no  child  of  fifteen  years  old,  if  not  an  idiot,  can 
possibly  mistake  it.  This,  in  fact,  several  Roman 
Catholic  controvertists  have  indirectly  admitted ;  but 
to  guard  against  exposure,  they  have  added,  that  al- 
though the  articles  which  distinguish  the  Romish 
communion  were  found  to  be  totally  unsupported  by 
texts  of  Scripture,  they  yet  must  be  received  as  true, 
because  the  true  church  has  always  held  them,  and 
the  church  is  infallible.  Now  I  affirm,  without  the  least 
hesitation,  that  the  articles  m  question  were  never  among 
the  tenets  of  the  true  church  of  Christ.  The  Evange- 
lists and  Apostles,  the  earliest  members  of  that  church, 
certainly  could  not  have  held  a  belief  in  these  articles, 
as  necessary  to  salvation  ;  for  had  they  done  so,  they  as- 
suredly would  not  have  omitted  to  state  distinctly,  and 
even  to  enlarge  upon  them,  mtlieir  several  writings,  the 
sole  and  avowed  object  whereof  was  to  instruct  us  in  the 
belief  and  practice  of  Christianity.  With  a  view  to  our 
salvation,  they  repeatedly  inculcated  a  firm  belief  and 
lively  faith  in  Christ,  and  the  necessity  of  an  habitual 
practice  of  Christian  virtues.  But  never  once  distinctly 
mention  the  articles  in  question,  nor  even  directly  allude 
to  them  as  fundamental  or  necessary  parts  of  Christian- 
ity. And  surely,  it  never  can  be  believed,  by  any  reflect- 
ing person,  thatif  these  articles  we  re  really  essential  parts, 
or,  indeed,  any  parts  at  all  of  Christianity,  the  Evange- 
lists and  Apostles  would  have  declined  to  take  special 
notice  of  them.  Surely  it  never  can  be  believed,  by  any 
rational  man,  that  these  inspired  writers  could  act  with 
such  egregious  imprudence  and  inconsistency,  as  to  leave 
any  important  articles  of  faith  to  tradition,  which  ever 
has  been,  and  ever  must  be,  liable  to  error,  when  they 

K 


74 

denied  it  ti^cesstiry  to  communicate  aud  make  perma- 
nent, by  writing,  their  sentiments  and  information  on  a 
vast  variety  of  matters  of  very  inferior  consideration. — 
Certainly  it  cannot. 

Let  U8  now  take  a  view  of  these  articles,  and  the  pas- 
sages which  are  ejnployed  to  support  them. 

1st.  We  are  required  to  confess  our  sins  to  a  priest,  at 
least  once  a  year  ;  and  in  support  of  this  commandment 
of  the  church,  as  it  is  called,  the  following  passage  alone 
is  employed  ;  viz.  "  Confess  therefore  your  sins  one  to  a- 
nother ;  and  pray  one  for  another,  that  you  may  be  sav- 
ed ;  for  the  continual  prayer  of  a  just  n\an  availeth  much." 
(James,  v.  16.)  The  meaning  of  this  passage  is  so  very 
plain,  that  no  man,  in  his  senses,  can  possibly  misunder- 
stand it.  But  those  who  superintended  the  translation 
of  our  Bible  have  thought  fit  to  add  a  note  to  it,  in  which 
they  say  that  to  confess  our  sins  one  to  another,  means 
to  confess  them  to  tlie  Priest,  whom  St.  James  ordered 
to  be  called  for,  and  brought  in  to  the  sick.  Now,  in  re- 
ply, to  this  most  unwarrantable  comment,  it  is  enough 
to  say,  that  these  words,  confess  ijour  sins  one  to  another, 
do  positively  not  contain  any  thing  like  a  command  to 
confess  our  sins  to  a  priest  at  least  once  a  year  ;  and  that 
although  the  priests,  or,  more  properly,  elders,  were 
bvought  into  the  sick  person,  they  were  not  more  autho- 
rised to  hear  confession,  than  the  physician  or  the  nurse 
tender,  or  any  other  individual  sent  for,  or  present.  In 
truth,  tliese  words  impose  just  as  strong  an  obligation  on 
tlie  priests  to  confess  their  sins  to  a  nurse  tender,  as  they 
do  on  a  sick  person  to  confess  to  the  priests ;  and  there 
seems  no  obligation  at  all,  on  either,  to  confess  when  in 
health.  We  are  enjoined  to  believe,  that  whoever  con- 
ceals a  mortal  sin  at  confession,  tells  a  lie  to  the  Holy 
Qhpst;  so  that  we  must  consider  the  priest,  however 
impure  he  may  happen  to  be,  as  the  third  person,  or,  at 
least,  as  the  representative  of  the  third  person,  in  the 


75 

blessed  Trinity.     If  this  be  not  a  bla3j>hemous  injuncli^ 
on,  it  certainly  is  not  very  unlike  one. 

2d.  We  are  required  to  believe,  that  the  clergy  arc. 
empowered  to  forgive  our  sins,  because   Christ  said  to 
his  disciples,  "  Whose  sins  ye  shall  forgive,  they  are  foi-, 
given  them."  (John  xx.  23.)     But  surely  no  man  of  just 
reflection  can  really  believe,  that  because  Christ  gave  to 
his  immediate  disciples,  to  those  whom  he  himself  had 
selected,  the  power  of  forgiving  sins,  he  bequeathed  it 
to  the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Rome  also  ;  there  certain- 
ly is  not  a  single  word  in  the  Bible  in  proof  of  this  pow- 
er having  been  granted  in  perpetuity  ;  not  a  single  word 
in  proof  of  its  having  been  granted  like  a  lease  of  lives, 
renewable  for  ever.     He  gave  his  disciples  the  power  of 
working  miracles:  but  will  any  of  tlie  clergy  venture  to 
tell  vis  now  a-days,  that  this  power  was  handed  down  to 
them  ?  And  if  they  cannot  prove  that  tliey  possess  this 
power,  which,  whatever  juggling  a  few  of  them  may 
have  practised,  in  ages  of  ignorance,*  they  most  assur- 
edly cannot  now  attempt  to  do,  without  subjecting  them^ 
selves  to  ridicule,  they  must  necessarily  appear  to  every 
reflecting  Christian  extremely   unjustifiable,  if  not  ex- 
tremely impious,  in  presuming  to  arrogate  to  themselves 
the  power  of  forgiving  si*M»,  which  now  belongs  to  the 
Almighty  God  aloiK). 

od.  We  are  required  to  believe  that  the  effect  of  in- 
dulgences is  to  remit  the  tempoi^oiy  punishments  with 
which  God  often  visits  our  sins,  and  that  the  church  hath 
power  to  grant  such  indulgences,  because  Christ  said  to 
St.  Peter,  "  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  eai'th,  it 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven"  (Matt.  xvi.  19.)  ;  and  because 
St.  Paul,  in  his  second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  siiys, 
"  To  whom  you  have  given  anv  thing,  I  also"  (II.  10.) 
How  these  passages  which  a^e  very  plain,    invest  the 

*  The  pretended  miracles  cnfJlemonfea,  fRth^^tlnrk  »gf9,  would 
be  exposed  sjid  laughed  &X  by  every  inodeiu  thymist  or  coftjiuer 


76 

church  of  Rome  with  a  power  to  grant  indulgences,  and 
thus  screen  us  from  the  just  wrath  of  God,  I  really  ana 
at  a  loss  to  discover.  That  Christ  granted  Saint  Peter  a 
power  to  loose  upon  earth,  and  promised  a  consequent 
remission  of  sins  in  heaven,  is  distinctly  told  us ;  but 
throughout  the  whole  New  Testament,  there  cannot  be 
found  a  single  sentence  tending  to  prove  that  he  had  en- 
abled Saint  Peter,  or  any  one  of  the  Apostles,  to  trans- 
fer, hand  down,  or  bequeath  to  others,  this  most  impor- 
tant power. 

4th.  We  are  required  to  believe  that  there  is  a  place  of 
suffering,  called  Purgatory,  from  whence  our  souls  may 
be  released  by  the  prayers  of  the  clergy ;  though  neither 
Christ,  nor  any  of  the  Apostles,  ever  said  a  single  sylla- 
ble about  any  such  place.  To  establish  this  doctrine  of 
Purgatory,  recourse  is  had  to  the  following  passage,  viz. 
«  He  that  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Ghosi,  it  shall  not 
be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  the  world  to 
come-'*  (Matt.  xii.  32-)  From  this  passage,  the  annota- 
tors  of  our  Bible  say,  St.  Austin  and  St.  Gregory  infer, 
that  some  sins  may  be  remitted  in  the  world  to  come  ;  and 
consequently,  that  there  is  a  Purgatory,  or  a  middle  place. 
To  this  comment  it  is  enough  to  reply,  that  the  venera- 
Gentlemen,  Austin  and  Gregory,  have  given  us,  in  this 
instance^  no  very  favorable  specimenof  their  proficiency 
in  logic ;  and  that  when  they  founded  a  belief  in  such  a 
place  as  Purgatory  on  the  words  just  quoted,  they  must 
have  been  either  in  adoting  condition,  or  designing  mood; 
for  the  words  themselves,  which  are  as  plain  as  can  be, 
do  obviously  furnish  po  ground  whatsoever  for  any  such 
belief. 

5th.  We  are  required  to  give  part  of  the  year  to  fast 
and  abstinence  ;  and  this  second  commandment  of  the 
Church  is  said  to  be  supported  by  the  sixteenth,  seven- 
teenth, and  eighteenth  verses  of  the  ninth  chapter  of  St. 
Matthew.    In  nonje  of  these,  however,  is  there  any  com° 


mand  on  fast,  but  merely  directions  lor  our  behaviour' 
when  we  do  fast.  Fasting,  occasionally,  is  certainly  salu- 
tary both  to  our  bodies  and  our  souls,  as  frequent  devout 
prayer  is  undeniably  so  to  the  latter  ;  but  our  blessed  Sa- 
viour and  his  Apostles  left  both,  in  a  great  degree,  to  our 
discretion)  never  imperiously  subjecting  us  to  any  penal- 
ty, as  the  Clergy  do,  for  neglect  of  either — Christ  fast- 
ed forty  days  and  forty  nights  ;  but  he  positively  never 
required  us  to  attempt  to  follow  his  example  in  so  doing  . 
this  fast  may  be  considered  as  one  of  the  miracles  which 
he  wrought  in  attestation  of  his  being  the  Son  of  God  . 
and  assuredly  exceeds  our  power  just  a;s  much  as  raising 
the  dead  does.  As  to  eating  fish,  instead  of  flesh,  during 
lent,  because  Christ  eat  nothing  at  all  for  forty  days,  our 
merit,  if  indeed,  there  be  any  merit  in  the  practice,  must 
depend  entirely  upon  our  respective  tastes  ;  for  I  appre- 
hend there  are  some  of  us  who  have  at  least  as  great  a 
relish  for  fish  as  flesh.  As  to  abstaining  from  flesh  on 
Fridays  and  Saturdays  (which  observe,  the  Apostles  do 
not  say  one  word  about,)  the  reason  assigned  for  requir- 
ing us  to  do  so,  is  really  as  silly  as  can  be  conceived.  We 
are  told,  that  we  should  abstain  from  the  flesh  on  those 
days,  because  our  Saviour  was  crucified  on  the  first,  and 
lay  in  the  earth  during  the  last.  Now  who,  in  the  name 
of  common  sense,  can  discover  any  sort  of  connexion  or 
reference  between  the  death  and  burial  of  our  blessed 
Saviour,  and  our  eating,  or  abstaining  from  any  particu- 
lar sort  of  food  ?  How  we  treat  our  Lord  with  disre- 
spect by  eating  the  flesh  of  bullocks,  sheep,  or  swine,  on 
the  day  of  his  crucifixion,  I  am  sure  it  would  puzzle  Tho- 
mas Aquinas  himself,  to  prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  any 
rational  Christian;  we  might  just  as  well  be  said  to  treat 
him  with  disrespect  by  riding  on  horses,  the  day  of  the 
week  on  which  he  entered  Jerusalem,  mounted  on  an  ass. 
To  say  that  eating  fish  instead  of  flesh,  is  an  act  of  mor- 
tification, must  certainly  appear  to  those  who  live  in  the 
interior  of  a  country,  where  fish  may  be  scarce,  a  very 


78 

laiigiiable  departure  from  truth.     If  it  was  thought  pro^ 
per  to  require  us  to  abstain   fi'ora  water,  the  requisition 
might  be  sufficiently  sanctioned  by  a  scriptural  quotation  ; 
for  Saint  Paul,  in  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy,  says,  "  Do 
not  still   drink  water,  &c.'*   (v.  23  ;)  but    in  support  of 
the  whimsical  and  arbitrary  command  to  abstain  from  flesh  . 
meat,  there  cannot  be  found  a  single  word,  either  in  the 
Gospels  or  Epistles  :  on  the  contrary,  there  is  a  passage 
in  the  latter  evidently  at  variance  with  this  arbitrary  com- 
Hiand  :  Saint  Paul   considers  those  "  as  giving  heed  to 
spirits  of  error,  and  doctrines  of  devils,  who   forbid    to 
marry,  and  commanded  to  abstain  from  meats.     (I  Tim. 
13).  These  persons,  the  annotaiors  of  our  Bible  tell  us> 
were  the  Gnostics,  Marcionites,    Eucratites  and   Mani- 
cheans  ;  Saint  Paul  however  does  not  so  much  as  m^en» 
tion    these    persons,    either  there   or    elsewhere  ;  but 
merely    condemns  the    practice.     Admitting,  however, 
that  he  had  these  sectarians  in  his  mind  at  the   time,  can 
the  practice  which  he  condemns  in  them  be  proper  for 
Christians  to  pursue  ?     And  here  it  seems  not  amiss  to 
observe  that  this  same   passage,  the  meaning   whereof  it 
has  been  vainly  attempted  to  perplex,  is  much   stronger 
in  opposition  to  the  arbitary  command  in   question,  than 
the  passages  referred  to  in  Butler's  Catechism,  are  in  fa- 
vour of  the   articles  of  the  Church  of  Rome.     In   truth 
these  passages  afford   those   articles  no  suppoi't  at  all  ; 
while  this  passage  condemns  the  command  in  question, 
plainly,  pointedly,  and  severely. 

6th.  We  are  required  to  address  the  Virgin  Mary  in 
prayer.  Why  ?  For  this  single  reason  only  :  because 
the  Virgin  said  to  Elizabeth,  "  Behold!  from  henceforth 
all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed."  (Luke  i.  49.)— 
This  passage  cannot  be  said  to  authorize  us  to  address 
her  in  prayer  :  we  may,  to  make  her  words  good,  call 
her  blessed,  and  1  believe  no  Christian  objects  to  doing 


79 

so  ;  but,  in  my  humble  opinion,  we  cease  to  be  Chris- 
tians when  we  make  her  a  deity. 

7th.  We  are  required  to  kneel  and  pray  before  cruci- 
fixes, images  of  Christ  and  his  Saints,  and  their  relics 
and  to  shew  respect  to  pictures  of  them  :  to  sanction 
which  Heathenish  practices,  the  following  passages  are 
deemed  sufficient,  viz.  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent 
in  the  desart,  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  (John 
iii.  16  ;)  Thou  shalt  make  twocherubims  of  gold  :  of  bea- 
ten work  shall  thou  make  them,  in  the  two  ends  of  the 
mercy  seat  (Exod.  xxv.  18  ;)  There  were  brought  from 
his  (Saint  Paul's  body,  to  the  sick,  handkerchiefs  and  a- 
prons,  and  the  diseases  departed  from  them  Acts  xix. 
12  :) — by  the  way  ;  if  a  person  duly  canonized  by  our 
Lord  the  Pope  had  died  of  a  putrid  fever  or  the  plague, 
I  really  think  it  must  have  been  rather  more  unfavoura- 
ble thaii  favourable  to  the  recovery  of  a  s)ck  person,  to 
make  use  of  any  article  of  wearing  apparel  which  had 
touched  tlie  holy  man.)— "Behold  a  v/omaa  who  was  trou- 
bled with  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  came  behind 
him  (Jesus)  and  touchetl  the  hem  of  his  garment ;  for 
she  said  within  herself,  if  I  si>all  touch  this  garment,  I 
shall  be  healed.  (Mat.  ix.  20—1.)  Now  I  need  not  ask 
you  whether  you  understand  the  meaning  of  these  pass- 
ages ;  for  in  truth,  it  is  so  very  plain,  that  you  cannot  pos- 
sibly mistake  it ;  but  I  will  ask  you,  whether  any  of  them, 
or  all  of  them  put  together,  can  authorize  yon  sufficient- 
ly to  pray  with  your  eyes  fixed  upon  an  image,  or  treat 
with  reverential  awe  the  toenail  or  smock  of  St.  Bridget  ? 
If  you  be  disposed  to  answer  in  the  affirmative,  yoo-r 
mind  must,  indeed,  be  marvefously  darkened  by  priest- 
craft. 

8th.  We  ai-e  required  to  believe,  that  marriage  is 
a  sacrament,  ami  that  all  marriages  are  null  and  void  UBr 
less  solemnized  by  the  clergy.  Neither  Christ,  Iwwev. 
er,  nor  any  of  his  Apostles,  ever  said  one  word  about  thf^ 


80 

form  of  matrimony,  or  whether  people  were  to  be  marri- 
ed by  priests  or  civil  officers.  All  he  and  they  required 
"vvas  strict  matrimonial  fidelity  ;  at  the  same  time  I  ad" 
mit,  that  the  more  solemn  the  compact  the  better.  But 
1  do  most  strongly  object  to  the  unjustifiable  and  danger- 
ous officiousness  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Clergy  on  the 
occasion  in  question  ;  and  likewise  to  the  exorbitancy  of 
their  demands  on  our  poor  countrymen. 

9th.  We  are  required  to  admit  extreme  unction  as  a 
sacrament,  instituted  for  the  spiritual  strength  and  com- 
fort of  dying  persons  ;  and  we  are  told  that  this  sacrament 
is  sanctioned  by  the  following  passage,  viz.  "  Is  any  man 
sick  among  you  ?  Let  him  bring  in  the  priests  (elders)  of 
the  Church,  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him 
•with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.'*  (James  v.  14.). 
Anointing  with  oil  might  have  been,  and  in  fact  appears 
to  have  been  considered,  formerly,  as  likely  to  promote 
the  recovery  of  sick  persons  in  certain  cases  ;  but  how  it 
can  possibly  impart  spiritual  strength  and  relief ;  how  oil 
can  be  more  efficacious  this  way  than  any  common  medi- 
cine internally  applied,  their  reverences  the  clergy  must 
take  the  trouble  to  explain  if  they  can  ;  for  it  certainly  is 
quite  beyond  the  conception  of  such  of  us  laymen,  a  s  have 
turned  our  thoughts  to  the  subject. 

10th.  We  are  required  to  believe  that  a  wafer  made  of 
flour  and  water,  and  which  undergoes  no  change  whatso- 
ever, discoverable  by  our  taste  or  our  sight,  is  in  reality, 
converted, by  the  piiest  into  flesh  and  blood;  and  that  it  is 
become  Jesus  Christ  himself,  true  God  and  true  man  ; 
liis  very  flesh  and  blood,  with  his  soul  and  divinity.  This 
certainly,  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  requiring  us  to  be- 
lieve that  the  priest  can  make  a  God  with  flour  and  water, 
the  diff*erence  between  which,  and  manufacturing  a  God 
with  timber,  stone,  or  metal,  as  the  Pagans  did,  is  not 
very  great  ?  in  truth,  the  cases  are  exactly  similar  ;  and 
to  adore  the  wafer,  as  we  are  required  to  do,  is  positively 


81 

as  rank  idolatry  as  to  adore  the  golden  image  which  Ne- 
buchadnezzar the  king  set  up  :  it  is  manifestly  and  unde- 
niably that  stupid  and  horrid  crime  which  appears  by  the 
Bible,  to  have  ever  justly  kindled  the  wrath  of  Almighty 
God  against  the  refractory  children  of  Israel.  In  support 
of  this  most  revolting  article  of  belief— this  impious,  jug- 
gling, God  manufacture,  the  following  passage  is  employ- 
ed, viz.  "  Whilst  they  were  a',  supper,  Jesus  took  bread 
and  blessed  and  broke  and  gave  to  his  disciples,  and  said, 
Take  ye,  and  eat ;  this  is  my  body.     And  taking  the  cha- 
lice, he  gave  thanks,  and  gave  to  them,  saying,  drink  ye 
all  of  this  ;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  shall  be  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.'* 
(Matt  xxvi.  26.  7.  8.)     These  words    of  our  Lord,  the 
iProtcstants,    I  understand   take  in   a  figurative    sense  ; 
and  the  verse  which  follows  this  passage  fully  authorises 
them  to  do  so.     We  who  are  taught  to  take  them  in  a  li- 
teral sense,  must  believe,  that  while  Christ  was  supping 
with   his  disciples,  they  were  actually  eating  his   body  ; 
which  however,  was  actually  nailed  to  a  cross  whole  and 
entire.     But  supposing  this  to  have  been  really  the  case  ; 
supposing  that  Christ  wrought  a  miracle  at  the  last  sup- 
per  ;  that  he  did  really  change  his  body  into  bread  ;  and 
his  blood  into  wine  ;  that  his  disciples  did  eat  and  drink 
thereof  without  astonishment  and  without  reluctance,  for 
neither  one  nor  the  other  was   expressed  ;  and  yet  that 
his  body  remained  entire,  and  his  blood  undiminished,  af- 
ter twelve  people  had  made  their  supper  of  them— does 
it   follow  from   thence  that  any  Priest  has  actually  the 
power  to  change  flour  and  water  into  the  real  body,  and 
blood,  and  soul,  and  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  is,  tO 
perform  as  great  a  miracle    as  the    Son  of  God  himself 
ever  wrought  by  any  of  his  Apostles  ?     All  I  say  is,  that 
those   who   can  be  persuaded   to    believe  this,  might,  I 
should   think,   be  persuaded  to   believe  any  thing  else, 
however    contrary    to  the   information   of  those  senses 
which  the  Almic-htyltas  given  them  ;  certainly  not  forttie 

L 


82 

purpose  of  deceiving  them,  but  to  assist  them  in  forming 
true  judgments  of  eternal  things. 

nth.  We  are  required  to  believe,  that  no  one  can  be 
saved  out  of  the  true  Church,  which  the  Church  of  Rome 
is  pronounced  to  be;  and  to  support  this  most  uncharita- 
ble doctrine,  recourse  is  had  to  the  second  chapter  of  the 
Acts,  the  tenth  of  Luke,  and  the  tenth  of  John.  In  these 
chapters,  however,  to  which  I  refer  you,  there  is,  unfor- 
tunately, not  to  be  found  a  single  passage,  calculated  to 
prove  that  the  Church  of  Rome  is  the  true  Church  of 
Christ  ;  and  that  there  is  no  Salvation  out  of  it.  Almost 
every  chapter  of  the  Gospels  and  Epistles  supplies  us 
with  the  means  of  demonstrating,  that  tlie  true  church  of 
Christ  consists,  exclusively,  of  all  those  who  really  re- 
pent, and  sincerely  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 
of  God  ;  that  he  was  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer  of  man- 
kind ;  and  that  he  revealed  the  will  of  the  Almighty  to 
man,  and  who,  in  consequence  of  this  belief,  seriously 
and  earnestly  endeavour  to  perform  what  he  command- 
ed, and  to  forbear  from  what  he  prohibited,  relying  on 
his  mediation  and  atonement  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God 
excited  by  our  daily  transgressions,  inevitably  resulting 
from  the  sinfulness  of  our  nature,  in  this  our  fallen  state. 
This  is  all,  this  is  positively  all,  that  Christ  and  his  Apos- 
tles required  us  to  believe  and  to  do.  If  we  believe  thus, 
and  act  thus,  we  belong  to  the  true  Church  ;  and  arc 
taught  by  the  Son  of  God  himself  to  expect  that  we  shall 
be  saved,  and  enjoy  eternal  happiness  in  Heaven.  If  we 
do  not,  our  blind  adoption  of  the  distinguishing  articles 
of  any  sect  of  Christians,  will,  of  itself,  be  of  no  avail  in 
rescuing  us  from  eternal  damnation.  We  are  told  by 
our  catechists,  that  unless  we  believe  all  the  different  ar- 
ticles which  distinguish  the  Church  of  Rome,  we  are  not 
members  of  the  true  Church,  and  cannot  be  saved,  how- 
ever pure,  humble,  benevolent,  gentle,  and  charitable  we 
may  be ;  and  however  lively  and  steadfast  our  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus.     But  neither  he  nor  his  Apostles,  have  re- 


83 

quired  us  to  believe  any  one  of  these  articles  on  pain  of 
exclusion  from  salvation.  A-..d  this  beinjj  evidently  and 
undeniably  the  case,  thiit  claim  to  a  monopoly  of  salva- 
tion which  the  Church  of  Rome  has  arrogantly  presume:} 
ta  msist  on,  must  necessary  appear  utterly  groundless  ; 
if  no",  indeed,  impious,  to  every  reflecting  man — For  my 
part,  I  do  most  sincerely  and  firmly  believe,  that  those 
who  continue  in  communion  with  that  Church,  after  wit- 
nessing an  exposure  of  its  errors  ;  that  those  wlio  con- 
tinue in  comm\niion  with  that  Church,  by  which  Chris- 
tianity has  been  so  monstrously  outraged  and  deformed, 
run  the  risk  of  being  excluded  from  Salvation,  instead  of 
being  exclusively  saved. 

Whoever  diligently  searches  the  Holy  Scriptures  will- 
assuredly  find,  that  the  doctrines  to  which  the  Church  o£ 
Rome  imperiously  requires  our  assent ;  and  which  are  an^ 
nounced  as  the  marks  of  the  true  Church,  have,  in  no  re- 
spect, any  connexion  whatsoever  with  the  genuine  doc- 
trines of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  ;  and  whoever  can  res- 
cue his  mind  from  early  prejudices,  and  is  capable  of  due 
reflection,  will  soon  easily  discover  this  most  important 
and  alarming  truth,  that  while  Christianity,  as  taught  by 
the  Apostles,  contains  the  strongest  proafs,  the  strongest 
internal  evidences,  of  its  having  originated  Avith  God,  the 
Religion  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  not  at  all  sanctioned  by 
Holy  Writ,  furnishes  the  most  cogent  reasons  for  a  firm 
persuasion  of  its  having  been  ingenuously  fabricated  by 
designing  men,  under  the  impulse  of  the  worst  passions 
that  belong  to  human  nature — under  the  impulse  of  those 
passions  which  of  all  others  are  the  most  opposite  to  the 
virtues  that  distinguish  Christianity — under  the  impulse 
of  those  passions  which  have  occasioned  by  far  the  great* 
est  part  of  human  misery — in  a  word,  under  the  joint  im- 
pulse of  a  lust  of  power,  pride,  and  covetousness.  And 
if  the-  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  Rome — ^if  those  articles 
which  separate  it  from  all  others,  can  be  easily  traced  to 
a  lust  of  power,  pride,  and  covetousness,  on  the   part  of 


84 

those  by  whom  they  were  propagated,  surely  they  ought, 
without  hesitation,  to  be  condemned,  rejected,  and  spurn- 
ed at,  by  every  good  and  every  wise,  every  sincere,  and 
every  courageous  follower  of  Christ. 

The  very  young,  and  the  very  ignorant  are  always  rea- 
dy enough  to  believe  whatever  the  experienced  and  craf- 
ty have  a  mind  to  teach  them  ;  and  what  ever  we  firmly 
believe,  when  young  and  ignorant,  it  is,  in  general,  easy 
to  mak:^  us  believe  ever  after.  Ifyou  can  once  persuade 
a  child  to  believe  any  thing  contradictory  to  the  informa- 
tion of  his  senses,  you  will  find  it  no  difficult  matter  to 
persuade  him,  afterwards,  to  believe  whatever  you  wish 
to  have  him  receive  as  true  ;  and  if  you  can  excite  iu 
him  a  disposition  to  believe  and  rely  on  your  woixls,  he 
naturally,  in  the  end,  falls  completely  under  your  influ- 
ence, and  becomes,  in  a  great  degree,  subject  to  your 
will.*  When  once  a  young  or  ignorant  person  can  be  ef- 
fectually brought,  by  a  Priest,  to  believe  tliat  he  is  eating 
flesh  and  blood,  while  his  senses  tell  him  that  he  is  eat- 
ing a  cake  ;  or,  as  the  clergy  say,  to  discern  the  Lord'« 
body  in  the  eucharist ;  it  certainly  cannot  be  very  difficult 
for  the  Priest  to  make  him  afterwards  believe  almost  any 
thing  else.  And  if  we  believe  that  the  Clergy  alone  are 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  tlie  blessed  Apostles 
were  ;  if  we  believe  that  they  can  forgive  our  sins  ;  if 
we  believe  that  they  alone  can  release  our  souls  from  a 
place  of  suff'ering  ;  if  we  believe  tliat  their  indulgences 
can  shield  us  from  the  wrath  of  God ;  if  we  believe  that  it 
is  a  sin  to  eat  flesh  in  Lent,  or  on  Fridays  and  Saturdays  ; 
and  yet  that  they  can,  with  safety  to  our  souls,  permit  us 
to  do  so  ;  if  we  believe  that  by  prayer  they  can  rende^ 
common  spring  water  holy  and  spiritually  beneficial  to 
us ;  if  we  believe  that  they  alone  can  give  us  spiritual 
strength  and  comfort  at  the  close  of  life,by  extren^e  unc- 

'  To  those  Presbyterian  Gentlemen  who  urged  the  *•  Vindicum 
tors''  not  to  relinquish  the  use  of  Fieurj'a  Catechism,  these  re- 
laarks  are  particuUrly  recommended. 


85 

tion  i  if  we  believe  that  our  marriages  are  void    and  sin- 
ful, unless  solemnized  by  them;  if  we  believe  that  they, 
l-ivin<>-  in  a  state  of  celibacy,  without  being  any  where  in 
Scripture  required  to  do  so,  are  either   free  from  the  na- 
tural appelites  of  man,  or  that,  having  these    appetites, 
they  continue  chaste,  witii  all  the  opportunities   of  grati- 
fying them  which  confession  evidently  affords  ;  and  that 
they  are  neither  adulterers  nor  fornicators  (which,  indeed 
would,  in  their  cases,  he  a  continued  miracle)  if  we  believe 
that  they  can  change  flour  and  water  into  the  flesh  and 
Wood,  and  soul,  and  Divinity,  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  if  we  be- 
lieve that  none  can  be  saved  out  of  tlieir  Church,  and  that 
Ihey  have  the  power  of  excluding  us  from  it.     I  say,  if 
,we  believe  all  these   things,  must  we  not  be  sufficiently 
disposed  to  reverence    them,  to  submit   to  them,   and  to 
obey  them  in  all  cases,  as  promptly  as  slaves  do  their 
masters  ;  must  not  our  properties  and  our  lives  be  at  their 
disposal,  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  our  belief,  aris- 
ing from  our   ignorance   of  true  Christian    philosophy? 
And  have  not  facts  in  abundance  proved  the  truth  of  this  ? 
Is  it  possible  to  conceive  a  more  ingenious  and  effectual 
expedient  than  the  propagation  of  such  an  extensive  be- 
lief, to  bring  inankind  under  complete  subjection  to  those 
who  propagate  it ;  Can  any  other  expedient  be   devised 
so  likely  as  this,  to   insure  permanent  and  general  sub- 
mission ?     The  sword  of  the  conqueror,  and  Uie  rack  and 
gibbet  of  the  tyrant,  are  mere  trifling   and  uncertain  in- 
struments in  comparison  with  this  ;  their  efficacy  is  par- 
tial and  transitory ;  but  the  efficacy  of  this  expedient  is 
confirmed  by  the  very  constitution  of  man. 

If  we  examine  the  histories  of  the  several  states  of  Eu- 
rope, we  shall  clearly  perceive,  that  a  lust  of  power,  with 
its  attendant  means  of  gratifying  the  passions  of  pride 
and  covetousness,  did  uniformly  actuate  the  Clergy  ot  the 
Church  of  Rome  ;  and  we  shall  not  want  ample  reason 
for  being  persuaded  that  they,  confidently,  and  entirely 
relied  on  the  doctrines  which  they  taught,  for  the  attain- 


86 

ment  of  the  power  which  they  sought  after  :  had  they 
not  done  so,  they  certahily  would  not,  in  pursuit  of  that 
power,  have  been  as  industrious  in  keeping  alive  the  be- 
lief of  the  laity  in  those  doctrines,  which  they  gradually 
multiplied  ;  and  which  they  knew  were  not  sanctioned  by 
the  Scriptures,  as  the  Holy  Apostles  were  in  propagat- 
ing a  belief  in  the  pure,  and  simple,  and  obvious  doctrines 
and  duties  of  genuine  Christianity  :  nor  would  they  have 
connived  at  those  idolatrous  practices  for  which  the  Re- 
ligion of  the  Church  of  Rome  has  been  so  deservedly 
stigmatized,  had  they  not  found  it  necessary  to  do  so,  in 
order  to  bring  heathen  nations  also,  within  the  sphere  of 
their  influence. 

We  shall  find  by  these  Histories,  written  chiefly  by 
by  Roman  Catholics,  that  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  the  pre- 
tended successors  of  the  poor  and  humble  Apostles,  be- 
came, in  process  of  time,  temporal  sovereigns  ;  and  ac- 
quired considerable  parts  of  the  empire  of  the  Caesars  ; 
that  the  pretended  vicars  of  the  lowly  Jesus,  whose  king- 
dom was  not  of  this  world,  as  he  himself  declared,  found 
means  to  control  and  domineer  over  the  different  poten- 
tates of  Europe,  in,  the  proudest,  most  contumelious, 
and  tyrannical  manner :  that  one  of  them  even  had  the 
arrogance  and  audacity  to  compel  an  Emperor  to  hold 
the  stirrup  of  his  saddle  while  he  mounted  his  horse,  and' 
to  perform  the  most  degrading  penance  in  the  presence 
of  his  subjects  :  that  they  forced  Monarchs  to  make  war 
upon  each  other ;  that  they  deprived  several  princes  of 
their  dominions  ;  that  they  granted  America  to  Spain, 
and  Ireland  to  England,  as  if  they  had  been  the  rightful 
proprietors  of  the  world;  and  that  they  excited  kings  to 
persecute  and  butcher  such  of  their  own  subjects  as 
ventured  to  prefer  truth  to  error,  and  the  religion  of 
Christ  to  the  religion  of  man.  We  shall  find  by  their 
histories,  that  although  many  Princes  and  Statesmen 
saw  through  the  prevailing  religious  delusion  of  the  times^ 
and  were  anxious  to  rescue  their  countries  from  the 
thraldom  of  priestcraft,  from  the  ruinous  coutroul,  and 


87 

from  the  boundless  rapacity  of  the  clcrgj^,  they  gene- 
rally found  it  expedient  to  side  with  them  and  to  uphold 
them,  in  order,  through  their  means,  to  secure  the  sup- 
port of  the  great  body  of  the  people,  who  were  in  com- 
plete subjection  to  them  ;  that  the  clergy  in  every  coun- 
try in  Christendom,  gradually  acf4uircd  as  much  real 
pov/er,  upon  the  whole,  as  their  respective  Sovereigns 
possessed  ;  that  they  menaced  and  converted  them  ;  that 
they  refused  obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  esta- 
blished distinct  tribunals  for  the  trial  of  persons  belong- 
ing to  their  order ;  that  they  effectually  protected,  when 
they  thought  fit,  those  who  had  transgressed  the  esta- 
blished laws :  that  they  afforded  safe  asylums  to  mur- 
derers and  robbers:  that  they  assumed  high  titles,  rank, 
and  precedence,  and  compelled  the  people  to  treat  them 
with  as  great — indeed,  with  greater — obsequiousness, 
than  they  were  wont  to  treat  legitimate  rulers  of  the  land  ; 
and  that  they  every  where,  by  persuasion,  fraud,  artifice, 
or  intimidation,  acquired  immense  estates  and  riches, 
and  were  thereby  enabled  to  live  in  the  utmost  splen- 
dour and  luxury  ;  while  an  increasing  multitude  of  fana- 
tical friars  and  nuns,  supported  by  the  lavish  donations 
of  credulous  and  superstitious  people,  assiduously  for- 
warded and  confirmed  the  work  of  delusion.  These 
well -attested,  undenied,  and  undeniable  facts,  together 
with  the  vast  revenues  and  riches,  which  the  secular  and 
regular  clergy  of  Spain,  of  Portugal,  of  Germany,  and 
of  Italy,  do  still  enjoy  ;  and  the  vast  revenues  of  the 
Protestant  Bishops  of  England  and  Ireland — revenues 
not  acquired  by  them,  but  by  their  covetous  Roman 
Catholic  predecessors,  and  which  were  left  unconfi sea- 
ted by  the  Kings  of  England,  when  they  seized  the  lands 
of  the  wealthy,  luxurious,  proud,  and  powerful  Abbots  : 
these  facts,  and  revenues  and  riches,  I  say,  do  demon- 
stratively prove,  that  the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  Rome 
are  singularly  well  calculated  to  be  employed,  with  full 
effect,  in  the  attainment  of  power  and  wealth  ;  and  that 
the  clergy  thereof,  scandalizing  the  poor  and  holy  reli- 


^8 

gion  of  the  meek  and  humble  Saviour  of  Mankind,  did 
actually,  by  the  aid  of  these  enslaving  doctrines,  attain 
uncontrollable  power  and  immense  wealth. 

In  tliis  country  the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Rome  ap- 
pear to  some  advantage,  for  this  obvious  reason,  be- 
cause the  strong  arm  of  a  Protestant  government  keeps 
tliem  within  proper  bounds.  If  that  arm  were  unner- 
ved, they  would  soon  exhibit  themselves  in  a  different 
light,  as  they  did  before,  by  degrading  and  impoverishing 
their  country.  They  are  still  as  watchful  as  their  pre- 
decessors were,  over  those  unsanctioned  doctrines,  which 
became  the  source  of  so  much  power  :  and,  considering 
the  restraints  under  which  they  labour,  it  is  wonderful 
how  much  power  they  presume,  with  the  aid  of  these 
doctrines,  to  exercise  over  the  common  people  ;*  and 
how  much  money  they  extort  from  them.  They  still 
look  forward  to  dispossessing  the  Protestant  clergy 
ot  their  benefices,  at  some  favourable  juncture,  and, 
of  course,  forbear  to  join  in  the  popular  outcry  a- 
gainst  tithes-  They  decline  the  salaries  which  gov- 
ernment has  shewn  a  disposition  to  allo^t^  them ;  not  be- 
cause they  are  content  to  be  poor,  as  they  would  have 
us  believe,  no  such  thing; — but  because  they  well  know 
that  what  they  have,  is  really  much  better  than  what  they 
could  expect  to  get. 

He  who  has  read  the  Holy  Bible  with  due  attention, 
and  made  a  right  use  of  the  understanding  which  God 
has  given  him,  cannot  possibly  consider  the  clergy  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  as  true  followers  of  the  blessed 
Apostles.  The  Apostles,  in  imitation  of  our  Lord,  were 
remarkably  humble  :  the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
falsely  professing  themselves  to  be  their  followers,  were 
notoriously  proud,  imperious,  and  arrogant.  The  Apos- 
tles, in  obedience  to  Christ,  promote  peace  on  earth  and 

•  1  need  not  tfll  you.  thst  m-ny  a  countryman  has  patiently 
borne  a  flogginj^  fi-om  a  priest,  which  would  entitle  him  to  heavy 
damages  ia  a  court  of  justice. 


89 

f^ood-will  towards  men;  the  clergy  of  the  church  6t 
Rome  notoriously  excited  wars  and  urged  persecutions. 
The  Apostles,  folIo\r'ing  the  example  of  their  blessed 
Master,  sought  not  to  rule  over  nations  :  the  Pope  of 
Rome  perpetually  aimed  at  universal  dominion — The 
blessed  Apostles,  mindful  to  the  precepts  of  our  Saviour^ 
disregarded  riches,  and  promoted  a  distribution  of  them  ; 
the  clergy  of  the  church  df  Rome  employed  all  various 
means  in  their  power  to  amass  them,  and  were  eminent- 
ly successful.  The  blessed  Apostles  merely  sought  to 
make  men  better  and  happier,  by  inculcating  that  faith 
which  purified  the  heart,  b\  preaching  the  pure  morality 
of  their  divine  Master  ;  and  revealing  the  tender  mercy 
of  God — they  did  not  require  m.en  to  relinquish  the  use 
t)f  their  senses  ;  they  did  not  require  men  to  believe  any 
thing  of  an  incredible  nature  ;  they  propagated  a  belief 
that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  which  was  convincingly 
proved  by  the  miracles  he  performed,  and  the  discourses 
he  held,  and  that  he  was  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer  of 
mankind,  which  no  person  entertaining  the  former  well- 
grounded  belief  had  sufficient  room  to  doubt ;  but  the 
Clergy  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  evidently  actuated  by 
principles  repugnant  to  Christianity,  and  eagerly  seeking 
after  power  and  riches,  have  studiously  and  incessantly 
laboiu'ed  to  blindfold,  delude,  stupifv,  and  subdue  man- 
kind, in  order  that  they  might  have  every  thing  at  tiicir 
own  disposal. 

The  darkness,  however,  which  has  too  long  over- 
spread the  Christian  world,  is  passing  rapidly  away.— 
Learning  is,  in  this  country,  becoming  every  year  more 
common  than  before  :  by  means  of  Bible  Societies,  the 
Scriptures  arfe  now  universally  diffused.  The  Irish,  na- 
turally  keen,  sharp-sighted,  and  fond  of  inquiry,  are  al- 
ready beginning  to  penetrate  througli  the  delusions  of 
the  Church  of  Rome  ;  and  to  express  doubts  which  tiieir 
Clergy  are  unable  to  remove  in  a  satisfactory  manner  j 
Ihcy  arc  beginning  to  laugh  at  some  of  those  things  which 

M 


90 

they  were  formerly  so  benighted  as  to  reverence ;  and 
Priestcraft  is  gradually  becoming  a  favourite  subject  of 
ridicule  or  censure  among  them.  For  my  part,  the  Re- 
ligion in  which  I  Avas  brought  up,  and  which  I  often 
thought  I  never  could  forsake,  has  appeared  to  me,  since 
I  came  to  consider  it  closely,  so  absurd  in  some  respects  ; 
so  heathenish  in  others  ;  so  slavish,  so  inconsistent  with 
the  greatness  and  happiness  of  my  native  country  ;  so  mi- 
like  to  Christianity  ;  and  so  far  from  the  road  to  Salva- 
tion ;  that  although  my  family  profess  it,  I  could  never 
experience  composure  of  mind  ;  never  look  with  any  de* 
gree  of  confidence,  to  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  happiness 
hereafter  ;  nor  ever  console  myself  with  the  thought  of 
having  done  my  duty,  and  merited  the  intercession  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  until  I  had  thus  eijdea^ 
voured  to  open  the  eyes  of  my  fellow  Christians  to  the 
alarming  errors  which  I  have  discovered  ;  and  it  is  my 
earnest  wish  that  they  may  "  search  the  Scriptures,"  for 
in  them  tliey  have  the  words  of  eternal  life. 

JAMES  CROWLEY. 


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